A New Road Of Hope
by RealmOfEmptiness
Summary: Chased away from his family and his home, he finally found a new road. And now he is back to show it to the world. Lelouch/Harem, slightly AU and OOC. Multiple Xover elements.
1. Prologue

Hello everybody. This is my first attempt in writing a fanfiction, so I would be very grateful if you could show me with your reviews where I went wrong, tell me what you think and also give me advice on how to improve. I have not a beta reader, and English is not my first language. Hoping that this might entertain a lot of people, I leave you to my story.

**PROLOGUE**

* * *

Lelouch Lamperouge, previously Lelouch vi Britannia Eleventh Prince of the Holy Britannian Empire, sometimes suspected that his life was the favorite toy of the entity called destiny. The main features which are: humor, drama and sadism.

At the age of nine years old, his mother Empress Marianne was assassinated and his younger sister Nunnally blinded and crippled by an alleged terrorist attack, an event that had little if any chance of happening in the middle of the Imperial Palace , a fortress impenetrable located at the center of the even more impenetrable Pendragon capital of the kingdom. It was bound to be an inside job commissioned by some of the other members of the royal family, who did not take kindly of Marianne because she wasn't of noble birth, despite her skills in piloting Knightmare Frames has earned her the title of Knight of One.

The young Lelouch confronted his father for an explanation, and all he got was the cold father's refusal to consider the topic worthy of importance. 'I have no use for the weak' was the reply of the Emperor, and in that instant the black-haired prince realized what a rotten bastard the man who stood before him was, a trait shared by the vast majority of people who attended the hearing. In the end all he got was the loss of rank and exile to Japan as political hostages for him and his sister. A favorable result, he believed at the time, certain it would be better than living in that den of hyenas.

Upon arrival in Japan they stayed as guests of the Prime Minister Genbu Kururugi, where they made the acquaintance of his son Suzaku. A hothead youth with whom Lelouch often quarreled until the intervention of Nunnally smoothed the differences between the two boys, leading them to become best friends. Since then Sukazu, who was stronger thanks to martial arts training, took it upon himself protect Lelouch and Nunnally from bullies, while Lelouch, who was much smarter, helping the young Japanese with his studies, or even doing his assignments for him.

A happy childhood that lasted but one short year. August 10 2010 a.t.b.: Britannia began the invasion of Japan , its purpose to take possession of Sakuradite reserves. A mineral essential for the development of new technologies. The Emperor, _that goddamn motherfucker_, not even bothered by their presence in the theater of war, ordered the Kururugi estate itself targeted, once and for all denying their existence. Cutting the final strings of love between parent and child.

At that point fate seemed to consider the boy worthy of an intervention well beyond the normal and also the allowed, because a bomb exploded next to him and Nunnally knocking them unconscious: When they awoke, they found themselves in what later was confirmed an alternate dimension.

Always Japan , but a Japan never invaded by Britannia for the simple fact that the Empire had never existed, the changes in the past history consistent enough to preclude his formation. More interesting was the specific location of their awakening.

Academy City , a city-state made up entirely of schools and research institutes, where they say the technology is 30 years further into the future than the rest of the world. To prove this fact beyond doubt the scientists have discovered the way to give people Esper powers, such as telepathy and telekinesis, and explain them through scientific laws. Of a population of 2.3 million inhabitants, 80% are students, a full 60% of these expressing a kind of power visible to the naked eye. As how the city is able to remain intact despite being full of hormonal teenagers able to unleash the power of a bazooka with only a single thought is something that Lelouch has always failed to explain. Especially considering that the local police force, Anti- skill, is composed of _professors without powers_. Whether it was the possession of technology designed to deal with Espers, or that Academy City has so much money so as to repair any damage in a short time was unknown, but to Lelouch the concern has always remained.

Despite the strange sequence of events their arrival apparently did not remain unnoticed, because they were taken by men in uniform who then led Lelouch alone in a strange building with no doors or windows, where the only access was via teleportation. The shock of the first contact with Esper powers was quickly outclassed by the one that summoned him there.

Academy City General Superintendant, Aleister Crowley. Suspended upside down in a cylinder filled with red liquid, with long silver hair and wearing only a hospital gown, that 'human being', if he was such, looks both like a man yet a woman, an adult yet a child; Saint yet a sinner. After having known him for some years Lelouch would come to the conclusion that even his father with all his cunning and ruthlessness was no match to this person, not even after a hundred years of practice.

Aleister was curious about the presence of the vi Britannia siblings, said it was the first time someone came from another dimension, and considered it very interesting. He proposed to him and his sister to become students there and enter the so-called Power Curriculum Program to see if and what kind of powers possessed the inhabitants of another world. Lelouch agreed upon the condition of proper medical care for Nunnally.

"No problem, I have an old friend who is the best in his profession."

It was true: in a short time, thanks to the doctor with a face vaguely like a frog, she went back to walking and seeing. Her happy expression instantly dispelled all of the anger and pain accumulated by her brother, as if it had never existed.

Entered in the Power Curriculum Program the results seemed to fulfill the hopes of Aleister: Nunnally developed the ability to vastly increase the biological growth of plants, uncommon but nothing special, while Lelouch manifested an Esper power apparently unique and extremely powerful.

Vector Change, the ability to manipulate the vector (direction) of anything under his influence just by contact with his skin: in its early stages was limited to a reversal of forces instinctively considered hostile, but it was enough to cause a simple attempt to grab to break an arm. Lelouch renamed it 'Accelerator', written with the kanji of 'One-Way Road', believing that at that point anyone who decides to attack him would have taken a one-way street, with defeat as a destination. It also became the name by which many began to call him.

His development was entrusted to Kihara Amata, an unpleasant but brilliant person, and Lelouch wished to gain complete control to not risk to accidentally hurting Nunnally. Fortunately, his intelligence, refined by the constant chess games, was high enough to perform the complex mathematical calculations necessary to the delicate manipulation of vectors. While the younger sister stopped at level 3, the older brother climbed the ranks to Level 5: not only that, he was considered the most powerful among the only seven Espers, including himself, to have reached that level. This caused his involvement in many aspects of the criminal life of the city by the hands of Aleister, but to Lelouch it did not matter: after a lifetime of impotence now he had the opportunity to finally make a difference and the power he needed to change things. Even Kihara agreed, saying that it was good training. He thus learned many different skills, including tactics, firearms, espionage, assassination, swindling and rhetoric.

Despite everything Lelouch went to school like any other student, preferring the normal ones more that the renowned ones. It was during high school that he met an individual who, incredibly, surpassed even himself when it came to blame the fate for something, a spiky-haired boy named Kamijou Touma.

Despite being a Level 0 Touma had a unique ability that he had possessed since birth and was located in his right hand: Imagine Breaker, the ability to deny any and all supernatural powers. Even Accelerator stopped working to his touch. Apparently, however, it also denied all of his good fortune: he experienced so many accidents daily that it was a miracle he was still alive. Combined with a classmate in love with his foster sister that work as a maid, another who is a maniac of all possible fetish and a homeroom teacher of unknown age with the appearance of a ten year old child, Year 1 Class 7 of A Certain High School is famous for being the bane of all instructors. Becoming friends with the poor unfortunate, originally from a call for help to study to avoid the perennial extra lessons, Lelouch thought that the curiosities in his life were sufficient.

Certainly he did not expect an evening to help him save at 15 years old nun with silver hair from two self-proclaimed magicians. Apparently magic also existed in this world.

The chick with a two-meter long nodachi professed herself to be a 'Saint'. A human being able to use the power of God. She was the first able opponent Lelouch had faced in a long time: her katana and steel wires had to be enchanted in some way because, although he remained unharmed, Lelouch was unable to redirect them the way he wanted. Apparently magic does not respect the laws of physics. Coupled with her super strength and speed the battle would have lasted a long time if Touma had not defeated the red-haired priest, forcing her to retreat to save her companion.

After three days and four nights, during which he explained to the two magicians that no, the human brain does not work quite as they thought, and saved Touma from having his brain struck by creepy feathers of light, the young Lamperouge went back to home, happy that Nunnally had neither the habit of biting when she was angry or the stomach of a whale, as opposed to a certain nun.

Even though when they met and became friends for a long time the fear that his younger sister was adversely affected stole his sleep on many nights. He could blast the other three idiots to kingdom come, but not Index.

When he learned of the 'Level 6 Experiment' his first impulse was to go and chop to bloody pieces the homicidal maniac Kakine Teitoku and the scientists who support it. Touma stopped him saying that he had a better plan to end that madness once and for all. An idiotic plan, but it worked: if there was one thing when the boy succeeded perfectly, it was to resolve the situation with a happy ending for everyone, or almost. Of course it was hilarious to see the fubar who has always considered himself better than him being badly beaten by Imagine Breaker with only the use of his right hand.

Of course Kakine decided to take revenge, and this time Lelouch decided to deal with it personally: he tracked him and his accomplice, gave them a sound lesson and then proceeded to eliminate the virus that had infected Last Order. Too bad that he had not ensured that Kakine was completely out of the game: he had just finished when he was attacked by an explosion of his Dark Matter. He could not protect himself completely, but the wounds were only superficial. He waited until the smoke clears to continue the fight, but when he could see again found himself in a completely different place than the street where it was before. For the second time in seven years.

Before it had been night, now it was day. The streets and buildings were also very advanced, but in the distance stood out like a cancer on the skin a part of the city in ruins, the effects of heavy bombing and abandonment clearly visible. The people around him dressed in obviously Britannian style and spoke English. In the sky floated a blimp upon which was mounted a television screen, however on the big screen a reporter announced that the tide of war against the Chinese Federation and the EU were still far from certain before moving on to yet another case of terrorism occurred in Area 11.

Area 11. The name he recalled that would have replaced Japan if the war seven years ago were to have seen the Empire win. There was no more doubt.

Lelouch vi Britannia had returned home.

"Fuck."

Indeed.


	2. Chapter 1: First Steps

**Judging from your reviews I'm doing a good job, I like to hear this. This section will answer some of your questions.**

**ReinZero: I consider the technology of City Academy and Britannia alike, with their differences of course (the first does research on the whole, the second only to weapons and Knightmare Frame), so there are certain things that the TaMnI world has and the Code Geass not, and vice versa. And you're right, Aleister is already working to discover the secrets of the dimensional travel, and then there will be pain...for Britannia of course.**

**tyranidhero: for the Lelouch's harem subject I send it back to the suggestions section at the bottom. Regarding the use of esper powers to Knightmare I do not think it is possible, heck Lelouch don't even need one to fight. But he will pilot one, I have a few ideas.**

**Allon Marton: yes it is temporary, but necessary to the plot. Lelouch in my fiction has lived seven years without the fear of Britain and in the company of a healed Nunnally, living a (almost) normal life and earning the title of 'strong' in all respects. Knowing his sister safe in another dimension and free from the obsession to create a 'gentle world' my Lelouch will conduct his rebellion in a totally different way.**

**FIRST STEPS**

* * *

Argue that Lelouch at the time was just pissed off would be a massive understatement. Having recovered from the shock the esper had left the park where he had appeared and began to explore the city. Fortunately his everyday clothes, a pair of black jeans and shirt with a red, long sleeve jean jacket open at the front, trimmed with black along the pockets and lapels while on his feet was a pair of red and black sneakers, were not too different from those of other teenagers he met, allowing him to remain anonymous. After an hour of observation he was already pulling his conclusions, and were these to generate his current state of mind.

'Great, just great. Apparently my dear homeland is oppressive as ever, if not worse. Half of Tokyo was razed to build the Britannian settlement while the rest was left, I dare to say deliberately, in ruins forcing the Japaneses, now Elevens, to live there despite the extreme poor conditions, making it virtually a ghetto. They plan to suck up the resources of this land until the last drop and then abandon it and found something else to rob?

Yes, 286 of 328 different scenarios show a similar result. Seriously, why do I have to deal with this crap again? However if I want to at least survive the first things I need are informations, and some.. necessary conditions. '

Lelouch then entered into the nearest internet point, he chose a secluded location to avoid being disturbed, he sat down and began to fill seven years of emptiness.

'Uhm, the conquest of Japan ... Overwhelmed by the power of the Knightmare Frames the army, however, get a single victory at Itsukushima by traditional means, thanks to Kyoshiro Tohdoh. Eh, I always knew that the man was a real warrior. But then ... Prime Minister Genbu Kururugi committed suicide in the face of Britannia's overwhelming forces and the Japanese government surrendered? I never see Suzaku's father as the suicidal type, rather I expected him to resist to the last man.

Suzaku ... who knows what happened to you ...'

For a few seconds his thoughts were concentrated on memories of his first friend, or at least his first MALE friend: for unknown reasons his sisters, the daughters of other nobles and in general every single girl of his age sought by every means to spend more time as possible in his company. The situation degenerated until bursting one day into the biggest catfight ever recorded in Pendragon with more than two hundred girls involved: in the midst of screams and insults the only rational words that a shocked dark-haired prince was able to identify were 'Lelouch', 'me' and 'marriage'. When he asked his older brother Schneizel what the hell was going on the blonde prince replied, with a nervous giggle Lelouch had never seen him use, that were girl things and he will understood withy puberty, then run away for his life to call the intervention of the army, the Royal Guards AND the Knights of the Round in order to avoid mass destruction.

Lelouch has entered puberty a long time ago and still hasn't understood anything of what Schneizel said, except that woman are evil and bring nothing but troubles. Even in City Academy half of the female population of the school are part of his fan club, not to mention older womans and even middle schoolers that has come across outside. The continuous rants of Tsuchimikado and Aogami about a 'Harem Plan' have certainly not helped. Not to mention Suzaku's cousin, Kaguya Sumeragi: Lelouch was pretty sure that the girl used to read adult magazines despite being only sixth year old at the time. What kind of parents allow that?

'Then the Empire began to expand in Indonesia and Africa, but met fierce resistance from the Euro Universe and the Chinese Federation, which surprisingly have deployed army of Knightmare Frames on a par with Britannia. One of the most popular theory is that the two powers have bought from Japan before the war large quantities of Sakuradite, then take advantage of the war to steal the plans of the frames and build their own versions. So far Britannian expansion has not advanced a single step, not to mention the fact that among the occupied territories Area Eleven is constantly plagued by terrorist attacks. Ah, well father, serves you right for wanting the whole world. Wait a minute, but he's still alive? Let's check...yes, damn it.

Ok, now regarding the scientific advancement...India is now the current rival of the Britannian scientists in the development of new models: today they have come to the Sixth Generation, but there are some rumors about a Seventh Generation design, and also theories about the possibility of flying units. Interesting...considering that Ganymede's Mother Was a Third Generation I am very curious about the potential of these new models, what will be the difference with Academy City's Powered Suits? Better looking for a bit... '

For the next half an hour Lelouch devoted himself to site dedicated to Knightmare Frames, looking in particular for instructions on their use.

'... So in terms of performance there is no match, although size does matter, but they seem to lack the psychic enchantments to help the pilot and the controls seem easy to use with a little practice. Still, who knows what results I will get embedded certain technologies in their structure, like the Hard Taping and the Testament...if I wanted to do the opposite I should first find an alternative system that does not use the Sakuradite given that the mineral does not exist in the other world, but maybe it can be synthesized... '

That's right, among the many skills he learned also includes machines ingenuity. Ah, the perils of being a genius raised in a city devoted to scientific research, not to mention the fact that the closest thing to a parental figure he've ever had there is a certain amoral Power Developer belonging to the madder family of Academy City's scientists. Luckily he hasn't grew so badly..._hopefully_.

Having finished updating the remaining technologies and major historical events he passed to the most important and delicate point: build an identity and personal funds. Having satisfied himself with a look that no one was watching him he put his hand on the screen, activated Accelerator and began to manipulate the electronic signals. The third-ranked Level 5 'Railgun' whose abilities govern electricity can hack any electric device and bypass weak security measures such as firewalls with ease, Lelouch can emulate such prowess by controlling the vectors that govern the network.

First, he entered into the government database and created the identity of Lelouch Lamperuge, britannian citizen who moved to Australia and recently returned, then opened several bank accounts scattered all over the world filled with hundreds of millions of pounds, bought a residential house with this money and then made sure that his new documents and credit cards were sent to that address.

Satisfied he paid the internet point with the online account and went out. He has the tools to ensure minimal survival, it only remains to decide how to spend time in the near future.

'Find a way back home is out of the question I does not even know where to start, and spend the days as a lazy freeloader will drive me to go crazy from boredom. Maybe I could get a job ... '

"Geez, seriously what's wrong with you? C'mon light up!"

The loud shouting was coming from a blue haired teen who seemed intent on look from head to toe a bike with a sidecar. "Is something wrong?"

"Ah, yes ... unfortunately it suddenly stopped and no matters what I do, nothing seems out of place but still. I do not know what to do."

"Have you tried to check the oil?" The other boy blinked at him before bursting into laughter.

"Ha ha ha, don't be silly, if it was something so simple I would have noticed. Ha ha...huh?" The laughter died in his throat when he given a quick look at the control panel and saw the oil light was lit. Lelouch chuckled.

"Often the right answer is in the simplest facts. And the excessive confidence in something can lead you to not see the obvious. Although I must admit that I actually said that as a joke, I did not expect to be right."

"Maaan, I really look like a fool then?" He said sighing.

"Not at all, at the very last minute I do not think so at all." Lelouch said with an absolute honesty in his eyes that startled the teen. "By the way, I am Lelouch Lamperouge: nice to meet you ..."

"Rivalz. Rivalz Cardemonde." The two shacked hands. "So Lelouch, to thank you for the help is there anything I can do for you?"

"Not really, I have just returned to Area Eleven after living in Australia for a few years and..." At that moment, noting the school uniform that Rivalz wore Lelouch realized that he could re-start his school career, just to have something to do. "Actually yes, I am currently looking for a school in which to enroll."

"I see. Well you could prove where I go, the Ashford Academy: I am a member of the Student Council and I can arrange the necessary documents." Lelouch's eyes widening at the mention of the school name.

"Ashford? As the Ashford noble family? I Knew the headmaster's Reuben Ashford granddaughter, Milly."

"You know the President?"

"Blonde hair, blue eyes, a prankster personality and a linking for extravagant parties?"

"Yep, that's one hundred percent her. So what do you say to come there tomorrow? Meanwhile I will contact the president so you can enroll swiftly."

"Yes, it's perfect, thank you very much."

Got the address he said goodbye to Rivalz while the lad began to pushing his bike to the nearest mechanic and continued on his way, but soon ran into a crowd watching a huge TV screen on the side of a building showing the flag of Britannia.

"We now broadcast a message from his Royal Highness Prince Clovis, Third Prince of Britannia and Viceroy of Area Eleven about the recent terrorist acts." A feminine electronic voice boomed before the screen switched displaying a man with dirty blonde hair and light blue eyes wearing royal clothes.

'Clovis?' Lelouch immediately recognized his older half-brother, one of the few decent members of the royal family that he like. Sure he was a little snob to anyone outside the family, but with a timid nature and a very sensitive eye for art. The dark haired prince and him often play chess: although he lost time after time, Clovis was not discouraged and viewed Lelouch as a rival.

"To all my Imperial subjects, including, of course, the many cooperative Elevens that choose to serve the Empire of Britannia.

Do you not see my pain?" Clovis went on as he brought his hand over his heart and grasped his jacket as if he were suffering a heart attack. "My heart was ripped from my chest only to be torn apart. The remnants are filled with rage and sadness. However, as ruler of Area Eleven, I will not tolerate terrorism of any kind because the battle we fight is a righteous one: a virtuous battle to protect the well-being of one and all. Now then everyone, I would like you to join me to a minute of silence in observance of the eight who died for justice in the line of duty."

'Eight Britannian. You're forgetting the more than fifty Eleven caught in the crossfire brother.' Lelouch thought bitterly perfectly remembering the details about the attack he had recently read on the web. 'Then again, it isn't something the Empire want to hear, isn't true? The national policy since our father came to power is that those who do not conform to his ideology must be thrown away. He even managed to corrupt you or is only a facade to protect your life? Either way...I do not really feel judging you.'

And while the esper ignore the commemoration and was about to go and take possession of the keys to his new home he did not notice the big truck behind him pushed to a really high speed.

* * *

**The first chapter is finished, in the next one the action starts. Here I will present some ideas on which I would like your opinion.**

**Lelouch Harem: In addition to CC, Shirley, Milly, Kallen and Kaguya it will include Euphemia (Suzaku does not deserve her) and the Knight of Twelve Monica Kruszewski, I'm going to paint her as the only type which I think is missing: a sweet, amiable...Yandere.**

**Lelouch: What?**

**C.C.: You are SO doomed.**

**While for Suzaku although I hate him I feel the need to save him before he becomes a delusional jerk, so I will paired him with Cécile. Seriously, the lad needs a mother figure in his life...no you have no right to voice your opinion in this case *the author said looked down at the figure of a restrained and gagged Suzaku* and since he is the only one capable to bear the kitchen of Cécile this work for her too right? Tell me what you think.**

**About Clovis, originally I thought to spare him and make him an ally of Lelouch as an inside spy in a plan to depose the Emperor, but I'm not so sure anymore. He lived, or he died in a very Accelerator way (read: very broken)? Vote and decide.**

**Clovis: My life cannot depend by a simple vote! You cannot do that!**

**Kallen: Yes we can you britannian scumbag *punched Clovis out of the solar system***


	3. Chapter 2: Reunion

**Uhm, 2 versus 2 votes, ****a tie. So I think it's for me to decide, and then I choose that Clovis live, so I can continue with the original plot I had in mind. Do not say that I am not compassionate.**

**Clovis: Thank you, thank you! *he bow down after returning to Earth through a Stargate***

**lexum09: rest assured, Cornelia and Euphemia will come to replace Clovis, I know how make it.**

**maliousdei: I'm afraid not, the age difference is large enough. And then would you deny the poor Ohgi his future wife? ****The guy will become Prime Minister, no less. Takami on the other hand...**

**Takami: Hey, and what does that mean?**

**Nothing, nothing, let's move on.**

**EXpERieNCed: thanks for letting me know, I'll try to fix it. I plan to post a new chapter every four days, setbacks allowing.**

**Now let's begin!**

**REUNION**

* * *

Meanwhile, in the building where Clovis had given his speech, the Viceroy stood on a platform as the robotic cameras and microphones removed themselves as a curtain rose to reveal a room filled with noblemen and woman gossiping and having drinks with one another.

"You were magnificent Your Highness," a baroness spoke, commenting on the performance, "One would never guess that you were attending a party while doing that." Clovis smiled.

"It's all in the performance. Since the media want a charismatic prince, I give them one." He said, before thinking ''And then it's easy, I just have to read the text that the staff prepares every time in advance with my best bronze face. The difficult is not to think after how I look like a fool or, worse, a ham actor.'

Clovis wished that he had never accepted the position of Viceroy in Area Eleven, but his protest had served nothing against the insistence of his mother and the Emperor. What he wanted was to devote himself full time to his beloved paintings instead of dealing with politics he understood little or nothing and nobles who annoyed him at any time of the day to ask for favors. To top it all his efforts to pacify the area was systematically thwarted by the Purist Faction who used every possible excuse to oppress the Elevens. Violence disgusted him to the core, and although he not considered the locals his equals at all he saw no reason to exterminate them like animals. And then there was that other question ...

"Your Highness!" a voice came, bringing Clovis out of his thoughts as he turned to see a pudgy bald-headed soldier wearing a monocle came running towards him.

"Bartley, what's wrong?" General Bartley Asprius was his only real ally, and also the one who, when he arrived in Area Eleven, had revealed to him what had become their common secret. Clovis have become pale at the implications of that discovery, suddenly happy to be half a world away from the capital, and had immediately agreed to finance Bartley's secret project. But now there seemed to be problems. The General approached his lips to his ear and whispered so that no one else could hear.

"This is a disaster!" He exclaim once heard the report. "What now? If this is discovered..." 'We will be exiled, or worse! Father will never forgive me!'

"I think it's best if we deploy all available forces, including the Knightmares and the royal guard, to solve this affair quickly." The General said, too well aware of the dangers that a possible leak of information could result in. Clovis nodded. That seemed to be the only way, he only hoped it wouldn't cause too much bloodshed.

* * *

Returning to Lelouch, the occupants of the truck that had been driving into the settlement had just noticed that they were being followed by the police aircrafts.

"Perfect, after we finally steal this damn thing," the male driver growled with gritted teeth, "It's all because Tamaki couldn't stick to Naoto's plan and now we've got a problem."

The female passenger remained silent with her cap over her eyes as she kept looking in the rear mirror. Unfortunately, in this way neither of them noticed the student that was walking alongside the road: Accelerator barely had time to turn after hearing the noise that the vehicle fell on him.

To be immediately thrown to the side to a construction site by a sudden change of vectors. A wall blocked his advance, stunning the occupants whose lives were saved by the opening of the airbags, while the door on the roof of the truck's container was unhinged and flew away.

"Some people drive as if they were fleeing from the devil himself." The espers frowned, if he had not changed the direction at the last second the opposing force would have reduce the truck into scrap metal, killing the occupants. And even if it was not his but the damn fool's fault for driving too fast he was not willing to leave it there as if nothing had happened, so he ran to the site.

"Hey, are you alright?" he called out. No reply came and so the Lamperouge started looking around for another way to get to the cab and the occupants. Noted a ladder on the side of the truck's container he climbed up. When he arrived he noticed the roof opening and felt that it was possible to get from there to the cockpit so he jumped in, but suddenly the truck started moving again throwing him against the wall.

"Stop the vehicle!" a loud voice boomed from outside, followed by the sound of several VTOL Gunship. "Surrender now and you'll get the chance to defend yourselves in court! Give up now, or we'll shoot to kill!"

'Oh great, I have been caught in a terrorist attack.' The esper cursed his bad luck: they would noticed if he moved out, and have problems with the military was the last thing he wanted. He looked around: the only thing inside was a dome-shaped flask near a door.

"I do not have many options if I want to remain anonymous. The best would be to wait to arrive in an isolated place and then run away, but this implies that we can lose the army." His thoughts were interrupted when a door opened. He barely managed to hide behind the flask before a girl about his age entered the back space.

"Can you enter the subway via the Azabu route?" the girl said, speaking to the driver as she discarded the light blue jacket and the cap she was wearing, revealed a combat-oriented outfit underneath which emphasized her pronounced forms. What stood out most were his fiery red hairs: she seemed more a Britannia that a Japanese.

"Kallen," he heard the driver shout as she saw the girl about to enter another hidden door, "Let's use it here, why not?" The girl, Kallen stopped and turned back to look at the door.

"Because that would mean a bloodbath," she shouted back before closing the door. Lelouch heard the driver growl in dissatisfaction as he reluctantly agreed with his colleague. Noticing a communicator in the coat he took it and decided that he could probably make use of it in order to get him out of this mess. Behind there was even a message with the sequences used by them!

'How stupid are these terrorists? No, no, these are amateurs, amateurs who will be killed at the first opportunity. Even ITEM is more professional, and is composed of high and middle school girls!' Lelouch thought remembering the fourth-ranked Level 5 Mugino Shizuri and his gang. Their first meeting had ended with him running away and she chased him calling him 'pervert' shooting beams like crazy. It was not even his fault! But the first-ranked Level 5 knew that even his ability could not protect him from the fury of an angry woman.

After a long ride, shots of gunfire and explosions the truck collided with the wall of a ruined warehouse, penetrating all within before stopping against the opposite wall. The driver had died from a stray bullet, and the impact caused the opening of the side of the vehicle.

'Good, no one in sight.' But while he was leaving the sound of footsteps caught his attention making him turn to the left, where he saw a soldier lunging right at him performing a spinning kick. As the truck when he touched his skin the force was reversed and the soldier was rejected back.

"That's enough mindless murder!" He shouted despite the obvious confusion and pain in the leg.

"Wait, I'm not one of…" Leluoch tried to explain, but was interrupted by the soldier who tried to grab him by the throat, only to be rejected again with no apparent move by his opponent.

"Trying to use poison gas? You should..." He tried to continue his insults, but the esper had lost his patience: with a lightning movement of the arm he struck him in the chest knocking him to the ground. He had half a mind to kill the little whelp, if only for the fact that he belonged to the Britannian army, but then reflected that probably he was just trying to do his duty. And if the flask contained poison gas, then really it was better to let him deal with it. From what he could ascertain they were in the middle of the ghetto and he had no intention of endangering the lives of the inhabitants.

"Listen to me when I speak! I am not a terrorist, I ended up in there by accident: the truck before had an accident and no suspecting anything I tried to help, but then it restart and I was stuck." He tried to explain his situation to the soldier who had meanwhile raised to his foot, but before he could continue...

"My god," the soldier said in a tone of disbelief, staring at him for several seconds. "Lelouch?"

"Who are you?" The prince replied, now with a threatening tone, his pupils contracted: if he had recognized him as a member of the royal family he had to kill him immediately. Probably everyone believed he died seven years ago with Nunnally and preferred that things remain that way.

"It's me," the soldier went on as he removed his helmet, revealing a boy who looked no older than Accelerator himself with messy brown hair and green eyes, "It's me, Suzaku."

Lelouch's eyes widened in shock before the unexpected reappearance of his childhood friend: he was alive and well, but the joy of the reunion was quickly blurred. "Suzaku? You...you've joined the military?" He asked in utter disbelief: Suzaku, his best friends, the proud boy who had animated his childhood, a Britannian soldier? The, well THIS world has gone mad?

"Yeah, and what about you? You're a…"

"What are you saying?" He shouted infuriated that Suzaku was still assuming that he was part of the terrorist group that had stolen the capsule. How stupid he had become?

However, before either of them could continue, suddenly the capsule began to open. Suzaku tried to put his gas mask on the face of his friend, but the esper stopped him and shove it onto his mouth knowing that his barrier could reject the toxic material. He also prepared to manipulate the air to direct the gas to somewhere where it didn't damage when an unexpected vision stopped him.

Instead of gas, from the flask appeared a girl with long green hair bound in a straitjacket and gagged. He ran to her and then proceed to remove the gag and free the arms, while Suzaku did the same with the legs. "Tell me the truth Suzaku. Poison gas…this girl?"

"I swear, it's what they told us in the briefing." He replied with genuine disbelief in his tone. Lelouch understand in that instant the whole situation: if on a mission the briefing and his actual contents do not match, this means only...

"Stinking monkey. Not even a true Britannia can touch that capsule!" A voice shouted, a group of armed men now into view, their uniforms made it clear they were part of the royal guard. In front of everyone stood a man with a scar on his face dressed in a general's military uniform, probably the one to shout.

"But sir, I was told this was poison gas." Suzaku said trying to defend himself. The leader's eyes narrowed.

"How dare you question orders?" the man responded in a harsh scolding tone before regaining his composure, grabbed his gun and held it to Suzaku. "However, in light of your outstanding military performance I'm going to be lenient. Private Kururugi, take this and execute the terrorist."

"He's not a terrorist," Suzaku protested, turning back to look at Lelouch and then back to the general, "He's a civilian who got caught up in all this." Ok, now the esper had serious doubts about the mental sanity of his friend.

"You insubordinate little... Didn't you swear your life to Britannia?" Scarface replied with anger in his voice.

"Yes, but..."

"Suzaku, are you an oaf?" Lelouch shouted, causing his friend to flinch. "He probably already knows that I'm not one of them, but don't care one bit. Don't you see, you were told this was poison gas and instead it's just a bounded girl, probably been used for scientific experiments. Short story? We've both seen too much. We're witnesses to something we were not meant to see and if it were to be made public, it could result in a scandal. He is only joking with you: even if you did kill me, he will probably just kill you while you are turn back."

"Smart kid. A little too smart for his own good, it would seem." Scarface grinned before point the gun to Sukazu. But while he pressing the trigger a stone whizzed through the air and struck his hand. Because of that the bullet was deflected and grazed Suzaku's temple causing him to lose consciousness.

"Argh! How dare you!" The general yelled for the pain, as it was Lelouch to throw the rock. The teen with unnatural composure slowly got up and dragged Suzaku next to the girl who, now awake, was watching him with a puzzled expression. Then he took a few steps and stood before as to protect them.

"You tried to kill my friend." He said with an harsh voice, the unnaturally small pupils fixed in those of Scarface and the face distorted in a dangerous scowl. "You know what I do to who tried to hurt the people I care?"

"Take aim!" The general ordered his men, his voice high to try to chase away the weird feeling that the look of the boy gave him.

"Sure, shoot me if you can. You do known, right, that the only ones who should kill are those who are prepared to be killed?" He replied calmly, while behind him the green-haired girl, despite wanting to protect him, was frozen to the floor by the mysterious knowledge that no, his interference was absolutely not necessary.

"Fire!" Scarface yelled, and ten pistols accurately fired on him.

The soldiers fell, dead, their heads and chests hit by the very same bullets shoot from their gun that, by all means, SHOULD have kill the teen before them.

_They should have, but did not._

"Wh...at?" Scarface, the only one left alive looked in disbelief at his men, while the good hand instinctively tried to clean the blood splashed on his face. And the rest of the body for that matter. A hand flew like a flash, grabbed him by the throat in an iron grip and lifting him off the ground.

"Who gave the order?" Accelerator asked.

"M-monster...!" The grip increased.

"Who-Gave-The-Order?" He repeated with emphasis every word.

"T-the Viceroy Clovis la B-Britannia and General Bartley A-Asprius!" He hissed through his teeth trying to breathe.

"Thank you."

The next instant with a sickening sound all the bones in Scarface's body made a turn of 180 degrees.

* * *

**C.C.: ...Wow.**

**Lelouch: Awesome! What Geass? THIS is the power made for me!**

**Yeah, yeah, whatever fuels your car. Well, another chapter finished, in which we see the badassness of Lelouch. I will try to make his personality as I think it would have be developed following the plot of the prologue, but since it's my first attempt I gladly accept suggestions from you all.**

**Now, we turn to today's suggestion: Lelouch Awakening. How should it be? Black wings and halo from the beginning or first just the black wings, and then later become white wings and halo? Or something completely different? Voice your opinion.**

**Lelouch: So long they are not six white wings...**

**Kakine: I agreed, they are my trademark! **

**Suzaku: And where you're from? You should not be in another universe? **

**Kakine: We are in the author's notes, here everything is possible.**


	4. Chapter 3: Shinjuku

**tyranidhero: unfortunately no, Lelouch will not form a contract with C.C., the are several reasons: first, he already has a power and give him another will make him too broken; second, and this is my personal interpretation, even if he try he could not get the Geass: as an esper his brain was changed and is now different from that of a normal person, plus the fact that he lived for years in the TaMnI world make him a being separated from the C'World that is the 'collective human unconsciousness' of the CG world and is the source of the power of Geass. Third, this way he would be in possession of 'Dual Skill', a impossible condition .**

**Lelouch: I found it quite the bargain. ****Plus it is logical.**

**C.C.: Then what I do without a contractor?**

**Simple: someone else will get Geass, who is something yet to be decided.**

**C.C.: Good to hear.**

**For all the other reviewers, thank you very much for the encouragements!**

**SHINJUKU**

* * *

A Brief Interval.

In another world, inside a windowless building, a certain Evil Magician answer a call from the outside.

"Aleister? Here is Kihara Amata."

"Good evening Kihara-kun. The news?"

"The virus inside Last Order has been blocked and deleted successfully, I entrusted to Yoshikawa the task of dealing with the brat. Kakine was put to sleep and locked. And Amai Ao shot down. However..."

"Accelerator is nowhere to be found, isn't that right? My sensors have recorded in the same place at the same time of his disappearance the same kind of space-time warp occurred when he arrived here for the first time."

"Are you serious? Does that mean he has made another inter-dimensional travel?"

"Possible. I did research for the past seven years but I always lacked one essential element. Now maybe I've found it. "

"The Dark Matter."

"Exactly. It seems that among the properties of a _'matter that did not exist until it was created by the second-ranked Level 5_' there is also to cause the phenomenon I was looking for.

When Number Two wake up contact me, I will convince him to collaborate. After I send you the data begins the construction of a prototype."

"Roger that. But, well, aren't you particularly eager to rescue the little brat?"

"Rescue? You are mistaken: I only want to recuperate a valuable piece who, I must admit, over the years greatly surpass my expectations. In addition to getting my hands on the technology of a different world, naturally.

And then I do not think Lelouch-kun, aside from homesickness, will have problems. If you remember what he told us of his past, it is likely that for the time we reach him _he will have already_ _set the world aflame_."

End of the Interval.

* * *

Setting the world aflame maybe not, but Lelouch Lamperouge felt the need at that time to exchange words with his half-brother regarding the entire mess, _by hook or by crook_.

"Impressive..."

Murmured the green-haired girl, despite everything intrigued by the carnage disposed before her. It was no Geass, this was certain, all the powers were mental in origin: no matter who the user is, no Power of the King can cause the bullets to ricochet. Or to kill a person by savagely twisting his inside. She had to admit, the son of Marianne has become a truly interesting person.

"I know." He replied tossing aside the corpse of Scarface, picking up a gun and slipping it in the belt behind. A firearm was always useful. "My name is..."

"Lelouch Vi Britannia, son of the late consort Marianne, the Eleventh Prince of the Holy Britannian Empire and seventeenth in line to the throne. Believed to be dead seven years ago." She interrupted him with a sing-song voice. His eyes hardened.

"Care to explain how you know that?"

"Uhm, and if I told you I knew your mother?" She replied. Lelouch's expression remained stern, and then relaxed.

"...Whatever. Your name?" The apparent casualness with which he accepted the answer surprised her, but she quickly regained his composure.

" You may call me C.C." Before she could reply they heard a rumbling sound and from the wall to the right a Sutherland entered in the warehouse. The front of its head suddenly opened up as the pilot activated the Knightmare's factsphere sensor to scan the scene.

"What! The Royal Guard...all dead?" The pilot gasped, a man by the sound of his voice. But before he can do anything the esper with a speed impossible to normal mortals close the gap between them, jumped to the level of the cockpit and thrusted his arm. The limb pierced the metal panel and the pilot's chest: a little inversion of the nerve's electrical signals ensure his death. He then hit the hatch switch and the seat slid out, dumping the body onto the ground.

"Very well C.C., we will use this baby to get the hell out of it. We will be together in the cockpit, I hope isn't a problem." The girl shake his head and followed Lelouch inside. The boy then proceeded to grab with the mechanical arm Suzaku e deposit him far away.

A little later another Sutherland piloted from Villetta Nu discovered the bodies of the Royal Guard and proceeded to inform the base.

* * *

Clovis didn't believed his ears. Yet the report was not lying: not only his most trusted men were killed, but the capsules had been found open, and this meant that the girl had run away. He turned to Bartley in search of an answer, but the panicked face of the bald general confirmed to him the trouble in which they were fallen.

"Your Highness, I'm afraid the only choice is to isolate the Shinjuku Ghetto and...ordered the troops to shoot on sight. We can tell the homeland that we're carrying out urban renewals " He said uncertainly. They both knew well what such a decision meant: that the soldiers would go ahead freely and kill anyone believed to be a terrorist. Which, in the minds of many in the military, included anyone who was an Eleven.

"It will be a massacre!" Clovis whispered , but the other advisers simply nodded in agreement. As expected from the leaders of the Purist Faction, if they were Numbers the number of victims did not matter. His opinion would not be counted at the end. Clovis swallowed and stared to Bartley with a look of pure hatred.

"We will bear this sin together, Bartley. Pray that your researches yield the desired results, or I'll send you to hell myself." He whispered so that only he would hear him. The old general bowed his head in shame, well aware of the horrible situation that he himself had contributed to create.

Trying to control himself Clovis rose from his chair and gave the order. And while he did he pictured in his mind the image of a ten years old boy with jet-black hair: the only person who he really admired throughout his life.

"God, and you too Lelouch: I implore, please forgive me!"

* * *

The said boy in the meantime was listening through the radio to the orders issued and the enthusiastic replies. His mood reached a new level of lowness, especially after witnessing the scene of a group of soldiers slaughtered a group of civilians who were clearly NOT terrorists. Unless the terrorists were recruiting from elderly, women and children. A quick swept of his Torso-mounted Machine Gun solved it.

"Fuck! What is that fucking idiot of my brother thinking? Don't tell me that this is all because of you? What's so special about you?" He asked to C.C., but instead of answering the witch poses another question.

"Can you tell me something? You have already piloted a Sutherland before?"

"What's that got to do? No, however, seven years have passed since I climb aboard a Knightmare frame. If you really knew my mother you will know that I piloted the Ganymede sometimes, but nothing more. I just read the instructions manual online a few hours ago to update me on the modern controls." Also he has experience with City Academy Powered Suits: they are similar in some ways. CC looked at him as if it were a strange beast. Anyone observing how smoothly the teen drove the Frame would have sworn that he was a pilot or with great experience or with incredible skills.

"And then, those movements...they resemble, no they are almost identical to her...Well, well, Marianne, sounds like your son has inherited your talent." The immortal was amused at how interesting young Lelouch seemed to be. He wasn't a contractor, but C.C. was sure that life with him would be absolutely hilarious.

Meanwhile Accelerator had reached a decision. he would help the terrorists to repel the onslaught and to evacuate the civilians, then he would go to chat with Clovis. From the radio he learned of the arrival of a train full of Sutherlands and from his cell phone, an advanced Academy City model that also received TV channels, that the area of Shinjuku was officially closed to traffic.

'Uhm, all access are shut down, they can't call reinforcements without drawing attention. Yes, it can work. Let's see if chess has taught me how to command troops.'

* * *

"Damn it!" Kallen hissed as one of the two Sutherlands behind her barely missed with his rifle. She has lasted long, but with only a one-armed Glasgow it was obvious that sooner or later they would catch her.

"The west entrance," a new unfamiliar voice came over the Glasgow's communicator, causing Kallen to gasp in surprise. "Move to the west entrance and get on the tracks."

"Who is this? How did you get this frequency?" Kallen replied, suspicious dripping from her voice.

"A friend. Trust me if you want to win."

"To win?" Kallen repeated confused. But among being killed and trust this mysterious voice, the choice was obvious. She headed west and jump on the tracks using the landspinners. Not far away a train was passing on the same line.

"Since you've trusted me, you're gonna win. Jump on the train!" The Glasgow jumped and one of the Sutherlands grabbed the train and slowed it down to the point of stopping.

Lelouch was waiting for this moment: coming out from behind a building he fire his slash-harkens destroying the torso and the head of the immobilized frame.

Jeremiah Gottwald could not believe his eyes: a few moments ago he was chasing that easy prey of Glasgow and now instead a friendly unit had destroyed one of his owns. Believing that it was a simple mistake, and promising to punish severely the culprit once the battle ended, he decided to tried contact. "What's your name and your unit? We're after the red Glas…"

"Never hesitate." A cold voice replied before the rebel Sutherland raised his Assault Rifle and destroy both his landspinners, forcing him to kneel. Exploiting the opening with immense speed the esper close the gap between them and smashed his Factsphere with his Tonfa, forcing Jeremiah to auto-eject.

"Thanks, you save me!" Kellen said with relief. "But how did you get a hold of a Sutherland?" However the other without even stopping had already disappeared. From the other side she saw the rest of her group running towards her.

"Kallen!" Kaname Ohgi shouted, "What the hell was that voice earlier?"

"What, she contacted you too?"

"Sure he did," Ohgi confirmed seriously, "And Yoshida and his group will be here soon."

"Are you the leader?" The sound of the mysterious voice from Ohgi's communicator caught the group's attention as the former teacher raised the radio.

"Uh… yeah," he replied.

"I give you everything in that train as a present. They're useful tools: if you want to use them to win I suggest you all to listen to my commands." A group of people had meanwhile opened the door of one of the train's carriages, their eyes widen in astonishment as they saw the content: brand new Sutherlands, ten for every carriage.

"You in the Glasgow, how's your energy?" Their mysterious savior asked Kallen.

"Uhm...about fifteen minutes worth left."

"Change it. Your unit's gonna run decoy. A part of you become more familiar with the Sutherlands, the remaining helped to evacuate the civilians. In ten minutes I'll contact the former with the next instructions."

"Wait! Can't you tell us who you are? At least your name...?" Kallen asked, eager to know who she had to thank for helped them in a moment were, absolutely, any possible way out seemed to be foreclosed. Not only that, he also seemed concerned about the health of the inhabitants of the ghetto.

"It' not a matter of who I am, it's a matter of WHAT I am." The voice replied amused, the group confused by the strange response. "And for my name it's simple.

I am...Accelerator!"

* * *

"Too bad!" The voice shocked Suzaku out of his sleep on the medical cot, where he had been deposed after being found and saved. Before him was a men with white hair and glasses, that anyone would describe to the first impression as 'gay', mostly listening to his voice, and a woman with a dark shade of violet hair. A pretty woman. "Looks like you missed a chance to go to heaven, private Kururugi."

"I did?" Suzaku noticed there was a bandage around his head. His memories of the recent events were fuzzy: he remembered meet Lelouch, discover that the capsule contained a girl instead of gas, a member of the Royal Guard about to shoot him, a sharp pain in the head and nothing more.

"You have suffered a slight commotion, but now you should feel better." The woman said with a gentle tone.

"Excuse me, was there anyone around me?" Suzaku asked.

"Hmm, no."

"I see...what's the situation?" If none was found it was possible that Lelouch was still alive, if he had been shot they would have leave the body there.

"It looks like the poison gas was released. Massive Eleven's casualties have been reported."

"They haven't caught the perpetrators yet." The woman added.

'And I doubt they will ever catch them.' He thought, 'Since there is no gas.'

"Anyway, enough of that. My name is Lloyd Asplund and I develop Knightmare Frames. She is Cécile Croomy, my assistant. Say, if you had the chance to pilot a one of a kind Knightmare, what would you do?" Suzaku didn't believe his ears.

"But there's no way an Eleven would be allowed to..." Lloyd interrupted him.

"Ah, but we are a special unit: we operate outside the regular armed forces! So, what do you think?" Suzaku nodded. "Wonderful!" the scientist shouted holding up a golden activation key in front of his face. "My Lancelot await you: once you've entered my beauty, your world will change forever."

No, not gay: the man was definitely a feticist.

"Whether you want it to or not." Cécile added warningly.

* * *

"Accelerator? What kind of name it that?" C.C. asked while Lelouch was communicating in rapid succession instructions to the various groups and simultaneously attacking enemy Knightmares.

"Is a name that carries a great significance." The Lamperouge replied, a thin grin on his face. There was something oddly therapeutic about beating the crap out of his countrymen. Not only the enemy moves were easy to read, the enemy commanders had fallen in the most elemental of traps: or Clovis had not improved one bit in strategy since childhood, or his advisors were imbeciles. "Is the name of the strongest."

"The strongest? The strongest where?"

"Someday I will tell you." The attention of the esper was captured from the new reports: a single Knightmare, a new model apparently, was wiping out with ease a great number of units. It was white, swift and equipped with slash harkens and some type of energy shield. "Uhm, if I have to guess I will say the enemy has deploy the next seventh generation. What do you think?" He asked C.C.

"I don't know, but how will you answer now? You've gone well so far, but this trump card is defeating you."

"It can't be helped: Quality overcome Quantity." He activated the radio. "Q-1, to what extent is the evacuation?"

"It has just been completed."

"Excellent. Listen, the enemy has deployed a new powerful Knightmare: retreat at once through escape route N°7, secure as many Sutherland as you can. In the meantime I'll keep him at bay to give you time to escape."

"What? You can't do it alone: let me help yo..."

"I will be okay." Lelouch replied with a tone that not allowed denials. "Now go! Protect your loved ones!" And with this he turned off the communicator, just in time before the Lancelot appeared ahead of him. The esper was amazed by his appearance. 'Amazing! Is definitely more good-looking compared to the other models: it made them look like junk.'

"Are you the one that's in command?" The distorted voice of the pilot asked.

"Jackpot." Lelouch replied before shoot one slash harken. The other dodged, but predicted such a move, the second harken was already moving towards his position. But it was blocked by the green shield that the enemy had in the forearm. The white one performed an amazing leap and tried a spinning kick but only managed to snatch the Assault Rifle from the Sutherland as the black haired teen dashed to the left side thanks to his quick reflexes.

"Ha ha ha! Phenomenal, really phenomenal: not only that machine is agile like a ninja, his pilot is first-class!"

"Is really the case to praise the enemy? If you haven't noticed you are to the verge of defeat." 'Still,' she reflected, 'if he was on a mech with the same performance things would be very different.'

"You're right, it's time to retire. Sit in my lap."

"...What?" The green haired girl was shocked. "You seriously think is the right time to flirt with me?"

"N-Not that!" Lelouch shouted blushing like a tomato. "Argh! Just do as I say!" Deciding to listen to him C.C. did as commanded. Accelerator then launched the Sutherland full speed toward the Lancelot: the white frame raised his shields to protect himself, but it was what the esper wanted. Grabbing the girl behind the back and the knees bridal-style he kicked the monitor before him. The vectors of the entire frame were manipulated: the speed was doubled and the unit launched like a bullet against the Lancelot while Lelouch and C.C. smashed through the back of the cockpit and landed on the third floor of a building in ruins. The poor Suzaku, unable to avoid the unexpected attack, pierced in his path at least three buildings before stopping. The shields protected him from the big of the blunt before him, the Sutherland now nothing more than a pile of scrap metal, but behind the entire system was in poor condition. It was a miracle that the cockpit was not reduced to a sardine.

In the A.S.E.E.C. control centre a high-pitched shriek followed the faint of a certain foppish earl.

* * *

"You have defeated the Britannian army, incapacitated their new model, save the civilians and armed the terrorist with several Sutherland." C.C. said playfully, while the boy jumped from one roof to another, the girl safe in his arms. "What will you do now?"

"Now, C.C.," The prince replied with a devious grin. "it's time to pay my dear brother a visit."

* * *

**Lloyd: My Lancelot!**

**Sedated the fop. Chapter fourth is complete: Britannia with his tail between his legs and the White Knight with the urgent need of a mechanic. Has anyone noticed the differences in behavior of Lelouch compared to Canon, hints of a different mentality?**

**And yes, I made Lelouch inherit the talent of his mother: seriously, it is possible that the only thing that he had taken from her were the hair and a feminine built? Obviously it is refined from training with the Powered Suit of City Academy (in short he is used to drive robots). Not to mention that he must have necessarily seen Marianne drive, at least in video, and had, in my opinion, unconsciously memorized his style and then refine it in his own. And, I forgot, some important differences about Lelouch: in this story he will be athletic, through a training program and a controlled diet designed specifically for him, and his hair will be longer, coming down just slightly past his ears with long bangs. ****Oh, and he will like coffee, especially coffee can. A prize for anyone who can recognize the quote.**

**Since there haven't been opinions I propose again the last suggestion. Also because at the time I haven't others.**

**Until next time!**

**Lloyd: My Laaaancelooooottttt!**

**I told you to sedate him!**

**Cécile: The narcotics do not work!**


	5. Chapter 4: Code and Geass

**Uuuh, few reviews this time. I expected more.**

**Lelouch: Aren't you picky?**

**Hey, they help motivate me and then lead me to write better. Do not you know that every author lives of the opinions of its readers?**

**Lelouch: Write two or three more good stories and then you can demand attention.**

**Argh, okay mister I-Know-It-All. Let's go to other things that it is better.**

**ReinZero: I never thought of it, although to be honest I deem the Geass more of a type of overspecialized telepathic power.**

**Ah, to answer your question the basic model will be Shirayuki of HnA (WARNING! SPOILER! In the light novel when she sees Kinji together with a Bunny Girl suit-wearing Aria she pull out and fire a M60 HMG: it was TOTAL BADASSNESS!) with a bit of Mugino from TaMnI. A dangerous mix with hilarity assured.**

**Yes, Eeen without Geass Lelouch can still manipulate people but only with ingenious plans and deception, Vector Change is not suitable for the manipulation of minds in this sense. In the novel (ANOTHER SPOILER!) even if he can manipulate the mind of Last Order is not able to decrypt the information, so he is forced to cancel everything that is not included in the backup. He cannot distinguish between virus and memories.**

**tyranidhero: Oh yes she will, I have just an idea, which I'm sure no one ever had before. Wait and see. Ufufufufufufu!**

**C.C.: Why the evil laughter?**

**CODE AND GEASS**

* * *

From the large G-1 that dominated the area close to the boundaries of Shinjuku, where there were only a couple of guards to defend it, a large group of high-rankings officials came out from the main door: they were the advisors of Clovis and the leaders of the Purist Faction. Although supposed to assist the Viceroy in reality they exploited the weak prince and ruled Area 11 in their own ways. Among them there was even the Sub-Viceroy which with the excuse of being a work unworthy of Royalty handled by himself all of the important decisions and used the Third Prince as a facade for the public.

But today they utterly failed: a simple operation for the recovery of a chemical weapon from worthless terrorist became a inexplicable defeat. Not only the Elevens have stolen their Sutherlands and used them to destroy their perfectly trained troops of Pureblood Britannians, the moment when they thought of finally have surrounded the isolate enemy nothing was there: instead the ground sinked and buried underground a great number of Knighmares and tanks. Enraged Clovis threw out all of them and remained alone with Bartley, that spineless bastard who was only interested in his studies. And of course they were angered as well.

"This is all your fault! If only you had sent more troops from the beginning nothing of this would never happen!" One of them accused.

"MY fault? Who is the fool who thought to surround an enemy unit into a trap believing it was a good idea?" The other replied.

"Oh? And WHO ordered a train full of Sutherlands only for them to be stole from those filthy Elevens?" Another pointed.

"Why you..." He growled.

"All of you, calm down." Their most old member interrupted with a soothing voice. "Yes, it is inacceptable, but now we must focus to limit the damages. I propose to dispatch a report to the homeland where we affirm that we only followed the orders of His Highness, despite being contrary. With a bit of good luck they will believe us and condemn the prince for having soiled the reputation of Britannia. To the public we can release the usual crap like...the renewal was harder than expected and we were forced to prolong it. For tomorrow we may relocate enough troops from other bases to continue with the destruction of the ghetto. This time with explosives." He concluded with a grin. The others nodded, unconcerned that their speeches were heard by the nearby two guards.

* * *

One of those guard was shifting his feet uncomfortable: the talks of his superiors frightened him and he was glad to be a grunt troop assigned to guard the base. This shady political crap was incomprehensible to him and he has the slightly suspicion that be under the command of those fuddy duddies meant a certain death. No, better ask to be transferred to another Area. He had heard that Her Highness Cornelia was completing the establishment of the future Area 13 in the Middle East: maybe a little hotter, but they said that there were beautiful women...

His thoughts were interrupted when a strange shadow appeared on the ground. Looking up to see what was the cause the last thing he saw was a strange mass resembling a person fall from the sky.

* * *

"Everybody agree? Well, then..." The speech of the Purist was interrupted when a squishing sound came from behind them. Turning to see what it was they were greeted by the sight of a young boy with jet black hair standing atop the body of one of the guard, the body crushed like a tortilla (the blood splattered all around reinforced the metaphor), that held by the hair the beheaded head of the other soldier.

"Sooo, are you the fuckers who ordered the attack?" His raspy voice asked, and then all of them felt the blood freeze in the veins.

* * *

Meanwhile C.C. was standing atop a near building watching the scene down there. A familiar feeling announced the arrival of her old contractor.

_Hello C.C. How does it feel to be free again?_

'Good, Marianne. At least there are no more experiments. Oh about that, I found your son: he saved me from being captured again.'

_Really? That's wonderful! I have not heard from him for years, I was so anxious. He's well? I know about the chaos in Shinjuku, I suppose you gave him a Geass._

'For his health I think he is fine, I noticed quite a bit of muscles. But no, I have not formed a contract: he appear to be already in possession of a special power, which is not Geass.'

_That's my son: he was always so tiny, it's good to see...what did you say? What special power?_

'He confronted Clovis's Royal Guard before: he taunted the boss and they shot him.'

_And?_

'The bullets ricocheted back killing the soldiers.'

_...What?_

'After he grabbed the commander and killed him, turning around in some way his bones I believe, stole a Sutherland by killing his pilot with a punch that smashed through the cockpit, all moving with a speed that can elicit the envy of any Olympic gold medalist, kicked said Sutherland against another Knightmare sending it crashing through the building and jumped across roofs. Now he left me on one of them and landed on a group of high officials: he is killing them bare-handed. Ah no, he is also using a gun.'

_...C.C., are you sure the scientists don't have drugged you? I mean, really hard?_

'I am perfectly lucid, thank you. Neither I can understand how he do it, but...urgh.'

_What is it?_

'I think I saw a flying head. Together with a arm, a leg and what I'm pretty sure was a vertebral column, followed by the sight of a body that explodes from the inside.'

_You can't be serious! Are you telling me that my sweet, little boy became a bloodthirsty psychopath with super-human powers?_

'Nooo, he isn't so grim.' C.C. had to restrain herself from bursting out laughing upon hearing the pleading tone of Marianne. 'But sure he hasn't problems about killing. By the way, in piloting Knightmare frames he's as good as you. He use even some of your movement patters.'

_What a relief...of course he's good: I'm his mother after all! I made sure to teach him everything I know and made him watch all of my recorded battle. I was about to teach Nunnally as well when that bastard of V.V. shot me. MY children must have REAL value not only a pretty face and a distinguished heritage like those other harlots and fags...wait wait I'm digressing: what is Lelouch doing now?_

'Just now he ended up dismembering people and entered the G-1 dragging one of the corpses with him. He said before that he want to have a chat with Clovis.'

_My, at this rate that poor mama's boy will have a heart-attack before Lulu even lift a finger on him._

'Yeah, he...Lulu_?_'

_Uh, uh, it is the nickname we used in private us royals: Lelouch was 'Lulu', Nunnally 'Nunna', Euphemia 'Euphie', Cornelia 'Corny', Clovis' Clo', I 'Ann', Charles 'Cha-Cha'..._

'_CHA-CHA?_' C.C. mentally screamed with disbelief and disgust.

_Yes yes yes: obviously only us consorts called him like that, and only in more...'intimate' situations. I remember one time..._

The immortal witch suddenly began to violently dash his head against the concrete in hope to get herself a severe concussion and escape the ramblings of that perverted bitch.

* * *

"Ouch! It hurts!" Suzaku whined.

"I know, but bear with it: I need to clean the wound to avoid infection." Cécile said with a gentle tone. She was disinfecting with a ball of cotton soaked in alcohol the gashes on Suzaku's body: they had just recovered him from the Lancelot after opening the cockpit with a mechanical lever and now he was sitting before her with his upper top naked while she was treating him.

She wondered, what has gone wrong with his life, and when? She graduated with top grades to the Imperial Colchester Institute where she has knew Lloyd and Rakshata Chawla: they were odd people, always quarreling, but really brilliants. She then proceeded to work with Lloyd under Prime Minister Schneizel el Britannia for the development of new Knightmare frames. A brilliant career, if it weren't for the fact that she was soon forced to act as a surrogate mother for the childish engineer.

She turned her head: said engineer was currently sobbing embraced in the leg of the broken Lancelot and lamenting about the cruelty of life as if his dog had just died. She shuddered: how could she have possibly thought that freak with a fetish for both his works and pudding was a fascinating person? Not only he has the same sexual impulse of a lemming, he said his cooking was horrible. Horrible! After she has spent years practicing in the hope of preparing delicious meals for her future husband, in her dreams a good person that can understand and love her completely. She didn't even want to think about what would happen if she decided to work for Rakshata and her addiction to opium.

"Miss Croomy? It something wrong?" The boy asked with a worried voice. She turned to face him again, remembering only now he too was standing there, his bare chest and well-built body only a few centimeters afar from her...

'Whaaaa! What I'm thinking? He's younger than you Cécile, do you want to be mistaken for a shotacon? Although in truth he has almost eighteen years, the description of "shota" no longer applies...No no no! Bad! Bad Cécile!' Blushing with a crimson shade of red she shook his head trying to dispel those embarrassing thoughts, with the sole result of making Suzaku even more worried, even if he thought a blushing Cécile was cute. The boy wisely decided to change the subject.

"Anyway Miss Croomy, can you tell me what that other frame is?" He asked pointing at another Knightmare in the hangar similar to the Lancelot, but with a blue and white painting and a horn on the head.

"Ah, it is the Lancelot Club." She eagerly answered, glad to have an excuse to distract herself. "We built it using spare parts from the Lancelot and some experimental components while having the Sutherland as a base. Its performance does not match that of Lancelot's but still it is a seventh generation and thus superior to a Sutherland and even a Gloucester. We decided to create it to speed up the development of our research, but sadly like the Lancelot requires a skilled pilot. We were lucky to find you but to be perfect we need another one..."

* * *

Clovis slumped over the table, worn out. He had mixed feeling about the results of the battle: at a certain point the terrorists began to counterattacks their every move, as if a genius strategist suddenly had come to their aid. He remained silent, unwilling to help in any manner, and watched with fun those Purist be badly beaten: of course he scolded them without restrains. When Earl Asplund requested for the usage of his newest toy Clovis was worried: the man was a crank but his models were first rate, plus he worked under Schneizel. On one hand he wanted to stop the bloodshed, from the other he and Bartley needed to retrieve the Immortal. But if the enemy ignored the real value of the girl, highly probable according to Asprius, he would quickly retreat and leave her behind given its non-Eleven features. So he authorized it, and effectively it turned the tide of the battle. Only to be stopped in a sudden moment by an attack of unknown nature: he demanded explanations to Lloyd but on the screen his assistant informed that the fool was fainted and they don't knew anything. 'Damn you Schneizel, you and your weird habit of surround yourself with even weirdest people!' He cursed, but luckily the enemy had already withdrawn. Therefore he ordered the others to leave him and Bartley alone.

"So, what do we do now?" He asked the general.

"Your majesty, in at most half an hour I can form a squad with my subordinates. With that..." He began, but suddenly the door was violently overthrown, as if someone had used a battering ram, and a body flew before them. "M-Major Romster?" Bartley  
screamed, but it was difficult to recognize the elder leader of the Purists: only his face was intact, though marred by a expression of utmost horror, the rest had been horribly mangled and drenched in blood.

"Good evening. " A man entered, pointing a gun to them. The dim lights prevented that his face was seen. "I'd like you to order a cease fire. And to help all casualties, both Britannian and Eleven. Don't expect help: you see the vermin here? I killed all of his companions. We are alone, and we will remain so for long." His voice was cold and proud, but Clovis swore it had a familiar ring.

"My Lord, please stay back!" Bartley tried to shield Clovis, but the prince stopped him.

"It's alright. I wanted to do it anyway." He walked to the console, activated a switch and spoke in the microphone. "To all soldiers, I Clovis, Third Prince of Britannia and Royal Viceroy of Area Eleven hereby command you: all forces are ordered to cease fire at once! You will also cease destruction of any buildings or property. All casualties, whether Britannian or Eleven will be treated equally and without prejudice. In the name of Clovis la Britannia, you're hereby order to cease fire at once! Any further fighting will be severely punished." He turned off the communications. "What now?" He asked with false bravado. "We sing a few lively ballads or perhaps a nice game of chess?"

"Chess...how nostalgic." The man replied with a more calm voice. "I indeed miss those days at the Aries Villa. Do you remember? The two of us used to play chess together as boys: I always won against you, but always lost against Schneizel."

"What? Just who are you?" Bartley spurted. Clovis was shocked: only one person matched that description, but it was impossible! He was dead! In that moment the man stepped into the light. Clovis gasped.

"Son of the late consort Marianne, eleventh prince of the empire and seventeenth in line to the throne, Lelouch vi Britannia," Lelouch declared with a polite bow. "Is back." He concluded with an all-knowing smile.

"The eleventh prince? Preposterous! He died seven years ago!" The general exclaimed.

"No Bartley, he tell the truth: he is really my long lost brother." The blonde prince had to restrain himself from rushing to embrace with joy the raven haired prince. A task made easier by the fact that the other continued to keep the gun pointed at them. "Lelouch, I'm glad to see you are alive! Where are you been? And Nunnally? Is she alright?"

"She is completely healed, both legs and sight. She is now a healthily middle-school girl." He said with pride: he will be forever indebted with Heaven Canceller for that. "And for the where...she is safe: that's all." 'She is in another dimension: safer than that.'

"Thank Goodness." Clovis was relieved: it seemed fate had decided to be clement with the Vi Britannia siblings. But now he had a suspect he wanted to confirm. "Lelouch, it was you who guide the terrorists again my forces, right? Only you could put into practice such tactics."

"Jackpot." He replied playfully, then switched to a serious tone. "But enough of that. Clovis, I have a question: since when do you partake in human experimentations? And this applies to you too, General Bartley Asprius."

"Human...! How do you..." Clovis stuttered.

"I have found a capsule in the Ghetto. Inside was a green haired girl. Next your Royal Guards appeared and tried to kill me as a witness. So I killed them." The esper enjoyed the incredulous expressions on their face. "So, answer me Clovis."

"This is a military secret! We cannot..." Asprius tried to deny it, but was once more interrupted by Clovis.

"No Bartley, it is time that we free our consciences. Lelouch, what I'm about to tell you will sound...absurd, but I assure you it is only the truth."

"Go ahead." He encouraged him lowering the gun. "I'm used to weird things." 'Living in a city full of espers does this effect.'

"What do you know of the events that occurred in Britannia in the recent years?"

"Only that they are at a stalemate with the EU and the Chinese Federation."

"Right. Well, for a while our father began to isolate himself more and more from public life and the government, leaving everything to our brother Schneizel who is now Prime Minister and the Knights of the Round. The only order of which he continues to insist is to conquer new territories at all costs: if someone tries to discuss with him about anything else he kicks them away saying he has no time for 'trivial affairs'. He reacted the same way even when they have informed him of the death by disease of the 68th consort Katerina."

"Really?" So, the old bastard has lost his mind. "And what he does instead all the time?"

"Beats me, nobody know. The only certain fact is that Britannia is drained after years of unsuccessful conflicts but the Emperor refuses to settle things: only the military receive founds, even I as a prince had to push buttons for simply open a display of my paintings. And the ones who protest..." He made a gesture: the guillotine gesture.

"Is it why you became the Viceroy of Area Eleven?" The Lamperouge didn't believed his ears: his father resembled more and more the villain of a bad RPG. He remembered a game with a identical character. What was the name? Final Fantasy II? Or it was VI?

"No, it was under the pressures of my mother and the Emperor. I did not want the task, but I had no arguments to oppose. And then, when I arrived...Bartley, continue you."

"Very well Your Majesty." He said hesitant. If what the Viceroy had said was true he was in the presence of another royalty. One who had killed men with clinical ease and defeated them with untrained rebels: he was even more scary of the Witch of Britannia. "I was the Head of the Military Scientific Department in the Homeland, and over the years I have picked up some...rumors."

"Which rumors?"

"It was only talk, but their absurdity and the fact those who spoke did so only in absolute secrecy has pushed me to investigate. The preliminary results...have taken away from me ten years of life. And when I also had the evidence I feared so much for my life that I resigned and escaped here."

"Where he encountered and, knowing my views of the policy of our father, revealed to me his findings, so I decided to finance a research in hope to find a solution." Clovis finished.

"Ok, ok, let's make things clear." Lelouch rubbed his temples. "WHAT exactly you found?"

"Lelouch, if I tell you that the girl in the capsule is immortal and can give people the power to manipulate the minds of others will you believe me?" Clovis asked.

Lelouch was surprised: mind-manipulating powers were familiar to him, every telepath of Academy City can do it to some extent. The fifth-ranked esper Shokuhou Misaki was the biggest example: her ability is 'Mental Out' which includes reading other people's memories, changing a person's personality, telepathy, memory elimination, amplification of will, reproduction of thought, and transplantation of emotions. But he never thought that there were esper powers in his original world apart from some Gemstone. Plus a immortal person who can bestow those powers? Without any medical equipments? "What do you mean by immortal? That she does not age?"

"Not only that, she can heal herself even from the most severe injuries, even shots to the head. She can be killed, but she will always revive."Clovis was serious. "It's a power called Code: with that she can give to consenting people another power called instead Geass: the effects vary depending of the person, but it always manifest itself as a red bird-like sigil that appears on the retina of the eyes when activated, only one of them at the beginning. The possessors of Code cannot use Geass themselves, but have a tattoo with the same sigil on the body. Additionally the Code-bearers can induce a psychological state of turmoil inside a subject's mind, they are immune to another Immortal's powers and Geasses and can communicate telepathically between each other."

"You said Code-BearerS: there are others?" This was big, very big: those Code and Geass were nothing like the normal esper powers he was familiar. It was possible that...they were instead a form of 'magic'? He did not know.

"Our subject said there are twenty-six of them in all the world, one for every letter of the alphabet: she is C.C., before her there are A.A. and B.B., after D.D. and so on." Bartley replied. "The Code can be transferred, by unknown means, and according to our intelligence she is a Immortal from over a century. The origins of Codes and Geasses are related with a series of ancient ruins scattered all over the world, who are dated even before Mesopotamian civilization and unfortunately are under the jurisdiction of the O.S.I., the Office of Secret Intelligence under personal control of the Emperor."

"But what is really important is HOW Codes and Geasses are currently used." Clovis continued. "The whereabouts of some Immortals are unknown, but the others are all in the service of Britannia and the other two superpowers: we know the name of the organization who manages them under the order of the Emperor, the Geass Order.

Lelouch, our father, The Euro Universe and the Chinese Federation for who knows how long train and use Geass-users in a secret war of intelligence. Bartley believes that the Emperor use them since his accession to the throne. They take and brainwash them as children to make them perfect soldiers, spies and assassins. Britannia don't advance because our secrets are constantly stolen, and vice versa."

"The Darkness of the world..." Lelouch muttered: he was intimately familiar with the Darkness of Academy City, but this was on a whole different level. "And when did you learn about it..."

"I was glad to be half a world away from the capital. This is crazy Lelouch! It came straight out the Twilight Zone. Hundreds of thousands of deaths for...what? The ambitions of a sect of madmen who believed to possess the power to be Gods? Father will bring Britannia to ruin. I can't stand that!

Bartley managed to get hold of a Immortal: he is working to a method to contrast Geass and destroy permanently a Code. With that and evidences we hope to be able to stop all of this. And about the Emperor..."

"Make him pay for his crimes? I'm impressed Clovis, I never thought you could have the courage to scheme a dethroning. You really are grown up." Lelouch said with a proud smile, that although the ominous topic made Clovis happy. His half-brother wasn't corrupt. "But you can do it?"

"We...are not sure." The general said. "The Emperor is constantly protected by his guards and the Knights of the Round, he always keeps with him at least three or four members, included the Knight of One. Not only that, we risk that the other nations take advantage of the resulting chaos to invade en masse. The ideal would be to remove their Codes and Geasses as well, but we don't know anything about them ."

Lelouch was thinking. He wanted to help his brother. And of course he also wanted the opportunity to flay alive his old man. But he needed a sound plan. Despite everything he was undeniably a Britannian and thus he did not wish for his homeland to be destroyed: changed yes, but non destroyed. So he needed a situation in which Charles could be punished with ease. Not only him, all the governments involved with Geasses had to be replaced with peace sympathizers. As well as prevent Geass being used again as a weapon. But how?

His prodigious brain contemplated over a thousand of possible previsions, and at last selected the best one. A smile came over his face: he owed the Japan of the other dimension, so he will help _this _Japan.

"I have a plan." He said with absolute certainty, startling the other two. "But it require a sacrifice for the Empire to work."

"What sacrifice?" Clovis asked hopefully. He knew Lelouch, if he thought of something it would be surely successful.

"The liberation of Japan." They were confused. "In exchange for the freedom of this colony I can assure you that not only Charles Zi Britannia will fall, but all the wars in the world will cease. Will you support me Clovis?"

"O-Of course! But, but what did you intend to do?"

"A rebellion."

"Eh?" They both asked.

"I will lead a rebellion here in Japan. I will organize all the resistance fighters and forge them in a force that can oppose Britannia and restore a free nation. The Emperor invaded Area Eleven for the Sakuradite, right? Everyone want it. This way father will be forced to send all of his forces to prevent his loss leaving him helpless. And if I make the Geass organizations interested as well they will sent their agents: from them I can get all the information I need to destroy them. At that point all I have to do is win and...Puff!...say hello to world peace." He snapped his fingers.

We have said that Lelouch Lamperouge had a big, big ego?

Clovis and Bartley were speechless. It wasn't clever, it was inane! "Lelouch!" Clovis screamed with his hands in the hair. "Are you going to become a big, fat target to everyone in the world? How do you thinks you can win? No screw that, how are you going to _survive _a similar craziness? And also the Geass-users will never go all out against a single enemy!"

"They will." Accelerator replied. "And I will win with my life intact, because I will show them, and the whole world, a power that nobody else has. And they will want it. They will crave it, and their greed will be their downfall." He said with a sense of finality.

"What power? What are you talking about?"

"This." He touched the metal wall with his hand: the next instant cracks were formed all over the surface. All colors leaved the faces of the two.

"This is only a fraction of what I can do. Don't ask: just know that is not Geass and that nobody can stop me. General Asprius!" His voice held a demand of absolute obedience and a promise of brutal pain should anyone dare to defy him.

"Yes My Lord?" He instinctively made the military salute. The boy could be royalty, but to his eyes was especially a nutcase with superpowers that he had no intention of provoking.

"The girl will stay with me. I'm sorry but no more experiments. Do you have here your attainments?"

"Yes!"

"Show them to me." Bartley hurried and picked from his suitcase the Code-R folder, while Clovis was intent to checked as in trance the cracked wall. Lelouch began to read the sheets.

"As you can see Your Highness we designed a device whose purpose laid in creating a field that not only blocked, but completely erased all Geass inside of it. We still need to perfect it though. We don't have anything against Codes, but as a side-effects we advanced in human augmentation and..."

"What it is?" Lelouch asked. His attention was attracted by a frame design. It was...captivating.

"That, my prince, is something I developed with both my data and the latest Knightmare technology. Sadly it uses a special system wherein the pilot's nervous system is connected directly to the machine's control system, thus is operable only by a cyborg or a Code-bearers...

"I like it." Screw the Lancelot, this was the type of unit he will ABSOLUTELY and TOTALLY pilot. It was perfect. It was...himself made machine.

"Eh?"

"Do not worry about the system, I know of a technology that will bypass the problem. For now just concentrate into finishing it: give me your e-mail, I will send you the data. Clovis, give me your cell phone number."

Completed the exchange and got the folder Lelouch was ready to leave. "Okay Clovis, starting tomorrow I will attend Ashford Academy. If you need to contact me use the phone or search me there, only use discretion. Bartley, use only the e-mail and if not ask Clovis."

"O-Ok. But tell me, Nunnally...?" The blonde prince really wanted to see again the sweet girl.

"She will not be there. She is abroad, afar from danger. If they ask what happened you answer that a man with a soldier uniform has threatened you to order the cease fire, extorted secrets of which you cannot talk and, satisfied that you have confessed without making a fuss, spared your lives. You don't have seen his face and cannot recognize him because he used a voice distorter. Clovis, use the incident as a excuse to quit being Viceroy. If the remnant of the Purebloods try to take control let them do what do they want, I will deal with them myself. Now, prepare yourself."

"For what?"

"I have to fist you."

"Ah...AAAAHHHH?" Clovis, being a pervert and a womanizer, took it the wrong way.

"I mean punch you, you idiot! It will be suspicious if the offender killed the others but did not touched you two."

"Oh, I understand. Only...can you not hit me in the face? You know, my fans will not be happy..."

'Your female fans, right?' "Roger that." And then he punched them in the stomach with enough force to knock them down and left the base.

* * *

**Sorry for the bad ending: I wanted to continue with more scenes but tomorrow I have work and so I have to stop here. I hope it will be** **nevertheless good enough. Bye.**


	6. Character Profile 1

**Hey, guys! Since in my fanfiction there will be OCs I decided to write some Character Profile, not only about them but also for the canon characters since this is a AU. Plus it's funny. Read and see.**

**Oh, and I thank Tsukino Kage Spectre for pointing out the grammatical errors of the last chapter. I corrected it, it will be easier to read now.**

**CHARACTER PROFILE (1)**

* * *

Name: Lelouch Lamperouge

Real Name: Lelouch Vi Britannia

Nickname:

_Accelerator_ ( Ippō Tsūkō / "One-Way Road" )( For his enemies )

_He who wields a piece of power that equates to God _( In the future )

_Lulu _( For friends and family )

Gender: Male

Age: 17

Hair Color: Ebony

Eye Color: Violet

Height: 178 cm

Abilities:

Level 5 "Accelerator": the power to change the vector values of anything through touch, including other objects in contact with what is touched.

Genius-level intellect: as the strongest esper he also possesses the strongest brain. He is capable of performing the complex calculations necessary to use his ability with ease, devising and executing strategies with incredible speed and precision and learning new knowledge in a short amount of time.

Outstanding Knightmare frame skills: a talent inherited from the mother, Marianne "the Flash". Both relied on immense speed and quick reflexes, but while she liked to perform nimble attacks he instead favors brutal and overwhelming assaults. If she was like a "elusive bee who dodge and strike with grace" he is a "unstoppable steamroller who is fast as lightning".

Black op military training: obtained under the guide of Kihara Amata together with Hound Dog and during taking care of internal affairs of Academy City's Dark Side at the request of Aleister Crowley.

Chess Master: only two people were able to defeat him in all his life, Schneizel el Britannia and Aleister Crowley.

Xanatos Gambit and Xanatos Speed Chess: he leave nothing to luck. Nothing. He always weaves plans to win no matter the outcome and continually revised them when he is compared with new variables.

Athletic build: through a training program and a controlled diet designed specifically for him he has overcome his physical weakness. He is not a Pro, but he can take P.E. classes with no problems.

Domestic skills: he has been living alone with his sister for seven years, as the man of the house he had to learn how to take care of both.

Background: Read the Prologue.

Personality: the death of his mother and the wounding of his sister that occurred before his very eyes left a huge scar in young Lelouch's psyche. His father's lack of concern in regards to it under the statement "I have no use for the weak!" was the final blow to a nine years old boy that lived up to that time a sheltered life. Marianne wasn't weak and Nunnally could not be anything but innocent, so he blamed himself and his weakness for the tragedy.

Thus his beliefs in life became "protect the people important to him at all costs" and "the strong must protect the weak" in contrast to his father's beliefs of social Darwinism.

The discovery of his esper ability pushed him to do anything to obtain strength and avoid other losses, even if he should become "evil" in order to do so.

"That's fine," he said "it is only suitable for someone selfish like me..."

That way: he protects the innocents, but kills those who do not deserve to live; he is a nice guy during the day, but a merciless executioner during the night; he takes pride in his ability, but uses everything he has to accomplish his objectives. He never underestimates his enemies and always uses the smallest amount of effort to obtain the greatest results. Simple destruction that needs no emotions.

But because of this, when confronted with failure or his loved ones are injured he suffers a mental breakdown and all the pain and guilt resurfaces, making him weak and vulnerable. He could avoid it if he did not have any loved one, but refuses to do it: without family, friends or lovers, what is the point in living?

"...Because, surely, somewhere there is a complete unselfish person, a hero able to protect without killing, capable of doing what I cannot do."

So he became a true "Villain", one with high-class standards, in order to bring out a true "Hero".

Relationships:

_Nunnally Lamperouge_: "She is my pride and joy. So...mess with her and I will screw you up ten thousand times more!"

_Kamijou Touma_: "A Hero: a little naive and very dense, but he can truly save everybody. It's better to help him as much as possible however, with his bad luck and recklessness he will not survive for long."

_Tsuchimikado Motoharu_: "Don't compare him to me! I'm not a siscon! And definitely NOT a lolicon! I like girls of my age! I swear!"

_Aogami Pierce_: "It is confirmed: playing eroges horribly addles the brain. It will explain why he and Tsuchimikado always discuss with me and Kamijou about a supposed 'harem plan'. Do not they know that things like tsundere girls does not exist in the real world?"

_Tsukuyomi Komoe_: "Have you ever seen a child smoking and drinking, and be legally authorized to do so? It feel wrong on so many levels..."

_Kakine Teitoku_: "A sore loser. He is so envious of me that just to beat me has gone so far to become the guinea pig of mad scientists who believed that killing could evolve a level 5 into a level 6. He failed as a Hero and even as a Villain, so why he not give up both and become a normal person?"

_Misaka Mikoto_: "A good person, but I do not understand why she is so obsessed with Kamijou."

_Mugino Shizuri_: "A crazy ojou-sama with too much time to spend. I can understand working for the Underground World but...only because you are bored? And what is it with those panties? They're transparent! Aren't they supposed to protect intimate places?"

_Shokuhou Misaki_: "Here is someone who can be a worthy rival. She also asked me to become her 'King'. Irony, the irony! Of course I refused: I'm not a vile person who is after little girls."

_Sogiita Gunha_: "Another Hero, and a law representative. I only hope the same laws he protects do not end up hindering him one day."


	7. Chapter 5: Fabricated Past

**And here we are with another chapter. The great journey of Lulu has just begun and along the road are waiting new enemies and friends, intrigues, obscure plots, ancient mysteries...and of course the madness of every day! Because when you're a genius who cares anymore about the difference between logical and foolish?**

**Cécile: Don't add fuel to the fire! Lloyd is enough! *whack the author with a rolled up paper***

**Ouch! However, let's answer the questions.**

**tyranidhero: yes Kaguya will be present, without her who would help with the comic reliefs?**

**ReinZero: right, the poor women of Lulu are in a sea of ****troubles. And so is he, as in any self-respecting harem is always the Alfa male at the end to decide.**

**The help of a telepath would help, too bad that Mao is too mentally unstable to do precision works like that. And also because he dies, plain and simple: take hostage Nunnally cannot be forgiven. Ways to use Vector Change? I have a lot! If you have ideas as well send them!**

**FABRICATED PAST**

* * *

Out of the mobile base Lelouch saw that no one had yet arrived: the pile of corpses was still there, a indefinable mixture of body parts. Well, not all: someone had recovered enough composure to cut and run (most likely just scared to death) so he shot them. It was a interesting weapon the one he had collected from the corpses of the Royal Guard: instead of gunpowder it seemed to use an electromagnetic pulse to fire the bullets, the same principle as the Railgun. From what he could see the initial start was generated by a miniature motor and accelerated by an electromagnetic rail powered by Sakuradite. Ingenious: the pink ore had really a lot of uses, he must really start to study whether it was possible to synthesize it. But the day had been long and from then on all the days most likely would have been so: in other words he wanted to eat, take a shower and sleep at least twelve hours.

With a series of enhanced jumps he went where he left C.C., only to find her sitting with the back against the wall intent on massaging her head. Not far from her a piece of concrete was cracked and stained with blood.

"What happened here?" Lelouch asked. An enemy attack? If so then, why there weren't bodies or signs of battle?

"Nothing, only a headache. Now I'm fine." The bump and the concussion that she was really able to obtain were already healed but the pain persisted. That and the memory of Marianne's nonsense: she really had no shame. Not that C.C., after centuries of experience, gave it a lot of weight, but the former queen always managed somehow to make the camel's back.

"Riiight." The boy deadpanned. It was a lie as big as a house, but he knew from experience that the less he touch certain women's issues the better so he decided to give up. "In any case, Clovis explained to me everything about the Codes and Geasses. I also made him promise to leave you free."

"Oh, how magnanimous of you." The girl said amused getting to his feet. "I suppose you want something in return."

"Yes, indeed: I will not tell you everything before knowing if you agree or not, but I need your help for my plans. Your power and that of Geass. Obviously not for free: ask and I'll see if I can settle ". If you wanted to face an enemy on equal terms you had to use his same tools: as long as he kept under control his subordinates with Geasses all would went smoothly.

"Uhm, I have a desire, but the only one who can fulfill it is a contractor to whom I gave the Power of the King. Do not ask. It is a...rather personal matter." She did not consider the option of asking him to form a contract himself: the boy had already power, one clearly superior. But is she sticked with him she would have been probably able to find a suitable one.

"I understand." Not that it mattered. 'Rather...Power of the King? It's another name of Geass? What kind of name is it?' "Let's do it this way: you stay with me and we will certainly find someone who...meets your criteria or something. However there is the possibility that I will need multiple Geass-users, is a problem to form more contracts at once?"

She considered it: it wasn't her usual method, she usually created one contractor at a time, and sticked with them like glue to see if they could carried out the contract...staying sane. She did not want another Mao, but rejecting the offer would have made her task much more difficult. "No, provided that I personally oversee the development of their powers. Careless use may result in various problems."

"Accepted. I welcome you as my first accomplice in my quest. You already know my original name but now I'm simply Lelouch Lamperouge." He offered his hand. She accepted the handshake.

"I'm C.C.. Well, now what?"

"Let's go to my new house, is big enough to have a room for you. Meals, accommodation and any expenses shall be borne by me. When I don't need you to do something you can do what you want in your spare time."

It was too funny: the guy was really saying that she could become a lazy freeloader at his own expenses? Or he thought he should spend little or he had money to burn. In any case it meant to her one thing: pizzas. Many pizzas. "My, how advantageous. My day is getting better every next minute."

"For the cleanings we take turns." Lelouch instantly destroyed instantly the glorious hopes of the girl. "And we will have to risk our lives...alright in your case not, but I am planning things quite grim. And militarily oriented. Experience in the field?"

C.C. frowned. Housecleanings? She was over with a servant's life since she gained for the first time her old Geass, but on the other hand she could consider this case as simple...responsibility for a shared flat. "Everyone cleans HIS room. I can decently pilot a Knightmare frame and shoot as well, but I suck at commanding others.

"It suffices. Let's go." The Code-bearer gave the impression of being lazy by nature, but he would provide to put her in line. He grabbed her bridal-style again and headed out of the ghetto. But he couldn't always use his power: he needed a car.

Once again in the Britannian settlement he landed in a deserted parking lot where he found exactly what he was looking for: a vehicle with tinted windows. A bit of vector tampering opened the doors and a little tinkering made it start. Although he had not yet the license for age limits he could drive very well. The first stop was to the agency where he received the keys to his new mansion, then he continued to the residential district. By happy coincidence of fate the Ashford Academy was not far from there, just a half hour walk.

The house in question was a luxurious villa with garden: a barrier of evergreens surrounding it on all sides except at the gate, blocking the curious stares of neighbors and ensuring confidentiality, the only decoration a couple of fountains in Renaissance style. The two-story building was built in the Victorian style still in vogue among the nobility, in contrast with the much more modern look of the rest of the settlement. The colors, white and beige, gave it an atmosphere of unusual calm.

"Congratulations, you treat yourself well. Appropriate to a prince of the empire?" CC asked as the doors opened. They had come thither on foot after throwing the car into the sea.

"Naa, I choose it for the inside." Indeed the furniture, once they step in, was extremely modern: the kitchen was entirely in aluminum and equipped with a set of working tools worthy of a famous chef, the living room boasted large, soft sofas and a giant-screen TV which occupied an entire wall. Two other doors led to a gym and an indoor pool. Upstairs there were six rooms each with its own bathroom, in the one Lelouch wanted to take for himself there was also present, at his request, a computer. Found that everything was as he wished he had one final thing to do. He went to the kitchen and opened the fridge.

It was empty.

"Bloody Hell!" He cursed: he had specifically requested it to be stocked before his arrival, why everything else was ok but not this one? "If it were not for the fact I need to remain anonymous I would go to the agency and...never mind, murder is a crime here too."

"Poor thing. In any case I will order pizza delivery. You want it?" The green-haired girl does not mind at all. Quite the contrary! Lelouch looked at her coolly: he hated ordering delivery food, there was a risk that the stuff was unworthy of even being called edible. But he had no alternatives.

'Life sucked a whole lot of ass.' "A vegetarian one. And the best of the best. " He finally granted.

"As you wish sir." The Immortal replied with a mocking tone before taking the phone and dial a number: she remembered the telephone numbers of all the pizzerias in the capital. "Pizza Hut? I want to order five cheese pizzas and a vegetarian one."

"Five?" Lelouch does not believe his ears: they were two and one was his, then the rest..."They don't fed you properly in the lab?"

"No, three meals a day were guaranteed. But the food was tasteless and vulgar, if I can choose I prefer pizza. Breakfast, lunch and dinner...I would spend my days doing nothing but eat pizza if I could."

"..." The boy was speechless: every rational process had stopped listening to that statement. His next words were ones that anyone would have uttered in a similar situation. "How come you have not yet become a whale?"

The phone book flew straight into his face, only to be reflected back where it shattered a vase.

* * *

"Good Jesus!" Jeremiah Gottwald was a soldier and so accustomed to death, but the vision that appeared before his eyes seemed to come from hell itself. He barely suppressed the urge to vomit. Many others did not succeed, but had the decency to go and do it elsewhere.

The bodies of the leaders of the Purist Faction, to which he belonged, lay at his feet. Bodies, or rather what was left: the pieces of what were once living and breathing human beings were crowded like parts of dolls naughty children had decided to break for fun. Amputated limbs, organs ripped out, decapitated heads, exposed bone, crushed bodies, and especially blood, enough blood to form a puddle.

"My God! It seems as someone has torn them apart using the arms of a Knightmare!" Kewell Soresi's face had turned white like a dead man while together with his colleague and longtime friend looked at the crime scene.

"Not a Knightmare Kewell: some, those still...intact have gunshot wounds. Or they were two, one on foot, or..."

"You're not suggesting that they did it _with their bare hands?_ What kind of monster could do that?"

"You said well, monster. Look closely: this was not an act of murder. The perpetrator didn't killed them, _he destroyed them_ as they were nothing but objects. I only thank that the same fate has not befallen upon His Highness."

When he returned after the battle and the massacre was discovered he ran like a lightning to the control room, terrified that the events of seven years ago could happen again and another member of the Royal Family died while under his care. Instead, by the grace of some deity in the sky, the Viceroy and his right-arm man had only fainted. The same could not be said of Major Alan Romster, but Jeremiah had totally ignored him to instead taking care of the prince. Now he had entrusted him to the doctors and organized a large escort, but as the member with the highest grade still alive he had to deal with the investigation.

At that moment they were joined by Villetta Nu, the third member of the group formed since the days of the academy, the skin white as a sheet. At the sight of blood she stopped as if shot, then took a step back instinctively.

"Villetta, are you alright?"

"No, I...Jeremiah, Kewell, i-is the same!" Her voice trembled slightly, but the brave woman tried to keep an proper attitude.

"The same? What are you talking about?" The Margrave asked. By chance she had a clue that would indicate who was the culprit?

"You remember the Royal Guards? It was I who discovered the bodies. After the report I went down to examine them better: many had been shot, but there were two with strange wounds. One had a hole in his chest as if someone had crushed it, while the other ... I do not know _how_ but the bones were turned."

"Turned? You mean they were broken?" For Soresi could not be worse than what they had there.

He was oh so wrong.

"No! I mean turned: the skin was twisted and distorted in several places and parts such as knees and elbows were pointing backward. Even the skull...nape and face were reversed but the skin was still in place so from the mouth instead of the teeth you could see the spine! "

That revelation seized with a brutal grip of sheer terror the hearts of the two experienced veterans, a similar feeling had taken hold of Nu before.

What they experienced that day would happen in the future to a increasing number of people: Britannians, Elevens, Chineses, Frenches, Arabs, Germans... the world would soon be forced to recognize the existence of a horror that no one had ever seen before. A monster that would have raised armies and destroyed states, that many would have feared and hated but many other respected and revered and with his mere presence would have changed the fate of the entire planet.

His name was Accelerator.

* * *

"Well, so here I am." Said Accelerator at that moment (or rather the next morning) had not done anything yet and instead he stood in front of the Ashford Academy. The opening times had passed and therefore there were no students around, he was waiting for his escort to go the principal's office while summarizing the events of yesterday evening.

The pizza had turned out good, it seems even a pizza-freak as C.C. had standards. After dinner he asked about the pending issues, but all he had obtained was that the Witch had met his mother when he was a test pilot and for a certain time had been part of the court life while remaining always in the shadow. It explained how he had to recognize him and why Lelouch did not remember her. She also showed the symbol on his body: it was on the front and became visible on command, as Clovis said it resembled a stylized bird in flight. But nothing about the ancient ruins and the Codes: she simply ignored him and went toward his room. He had tried to follow her but she suddenly began to undress without worrying that he could see, thus forcing him into a hurried retreat while trying to stop a nosebleed. Hey, he was seventeen with hormones as high as the stars! A quick shower and he was lying under the covers, devoting his last thoughts before falling asleep to Nunnally: he hoped she was okay and that she didn't miss him too much. He had given instructions that, in case of a prolonged absence, a maid from the Maid Ryoran School will take care of her full-time. Everything would be fine, right?

* * *

_Interlude_

_"Tsuchimikado Maika, your new task is to take care full-time of a student who now lives by herself: her name is Nunnally Lamperouge."_

_End of the Interlude_

* * *

Returning to the school, who you had to say it seemed really big, the esper was wondering why he felt a shiver down the spine and a feeling of impending disaster when a voice distracted him from his thoughts. "Lulu? Is really you?"

A student had appeared before him, a female with curly blond hair and aquamarine eyes full of surprise and also...hope? But the detail that, he had to admit, most caught his attention was the size of her breasts. 'Fukiyose II?' He thought incredulously before recognize his old friend Milly Ashford. But it was amazing how time changes people: he remembered her as a tomboy who wanted to act like his senior just because she was one inches taller than him, and now he was the highest and Milly was a breath-taking beauty. Embarrassed he quickly regained control of his emotions and greeted her with a heart-warming smile. "Hello Milly, it's been a long time since we've seen each other. Sorry to plunged back into your life so suddenly."

"Not at all." She replied with a coy smile. It was incredible how she could change mask so fast: it seemed as the last time they had seen each other was only yesterday. "You, however, could have at least contact me from time to time if you were good, instead of disappearing so suddenly. You have a lot of explaining to give me, Lelouch Lamperouge!" Now she seemed offended. The fact that she used his full name was a clear indication that a storm of female fury was about to befall upon him. And as he and Kamijou knew there were only two options: run away or apologize, no matter if you did something or not.

"My bad, my bad. But I think it is better if we talk about it with your grandfather in his office, don't you agree?"

Reuben Ashford was obviously delighted to see the son of his old pupil alive: he believed that him and Nunnally were killed during the bombing. Once reassured him that his sister was all right the question that he was expected came: what happened? But Lelouch had already prepared a plausible story.

"During the period in which we separated a near explosion wounded us and we lost consciousness. When I awoke I discovered that we had been found and treated by a Britannian official: he told us that in the past he had served under my mother and thanks to that he had recognized us. Conscious of our state of political hostages and desiring to honor the memory of his old master he decided to desert and took us with him in Australia: how you can suppose I didn't have enough clarity of mind to consider to inform you before we leave. Later I discussed it with him but he said it was better that way, if everyone thought that we had died then we would be safer: I felt so guilty to cheat you but the safety of Nunnally came first for me so I accepted.

The officer adopted and allowed us to keep our mother's maiden name and we began our new life. We even found a doctor of extraordinary talent who managed to heal Nunnally allowing her to walk and see again. All in all, I thanked the heavens that I had finally found peace and tranquility.

And here we come to my return to Area 11: there are some...issues that I have to solve, they concern the possibility that we can be discovered again. Is risky but I'm the only one who can do it because my 'foster' father is currently ill and unable to move. I would tell you more but it's too dangerous, do not worry I have enough money to do it myself. It may take a lot and so I need a...let's say a cover. That's why I decided to enroll here. "

Reuben nodded, it was more than willing to help in any way possible. The practices were carried out in a hurry thanks to the dark-haired boy's new documents: of course authentic, only the electronic records were falsified, and that no one could find. Milly insisted to give him a tour of the complex despite having lesson: he had to say it, the Headmaster had really worked hard in designing it, they even had a chapel and a private Clubhouse for the private use of the Student Council. She asked if he was interested in being part of the latter, the position of Vice-President was still open and they needed help with the budget: apparently the various festivals held almost weekly left the finances in quite a mess.

"Did you try to stop using any excuse to celebrate?" This suggestion was greeted by a clear and crystalline laughter and the proclamation that such behavior would have besmirched the memory of his ancestors. So he found himself forced to accept, if only because it would not be useful at all if the school fails in the middle of the school year.

But there was something not quite right: they were greeted before the Headmaster's studio by a Eleven miad, a certain Sayoko, and as soon as he had seen her an alarm bell began to ring in the head of Lelouch. Years of experience had taught him to recognize other people trained in combat, by the body posture and the gaze for example, and the woman, although at first glance she perfectly fulfilled its role she remained constantly in a position where it would be easy to extract hidden weapons and dodge an attack. And when their eyes had crossed he had understood that she had seen the same thing in him. What was doing a similar subject in the service of the Ashford, quiet holders of a public school? She was a spy? And if so by whom? Certainly not a Britannian, they would not have used an Eleven. Better keep his eyes open: if she tried anything or attacked him...well, she would have discovered it was a bad idea to assail his Reflex Vector Shield. Although he had to set it otherwise to let normal contacts pass so as not to be discovered: if he wanted to use them to fight Britannia no one should be able to connect them with Lelouch Lamperouge. Things like bullets and knives will still be sent back to their owners.

* * *

Meanwhile, C.C. was devoted to his favorite hobby: eating pizza in bed. He had ordered six cheese and peppers that morning, the look of horror and disgust of Lelouch was absolutely priceless: apparently the guy is almost obsessively concerned with the quality of food and he said, his exact words, that 'once I bought the ingredients this house will begin to follow the rules of good cuisine' as he examined and tested one by one cutleries, dishes and appliances. That morning she had even seen him use the gym.

"I must say that it is surprising: he is truly a health freak."

_Oh, Who is the freak my sweet C.C.?_

Another telepathic contact, only this time it was not Marianne. A pity, it was much better the bitch that this other nuisance. "You, H.H.. And call me again your sweet C.C. and I'll break your neck."

_Arduous: I am currently in Paris enjoying a glass of excellent Coteaux du Languedoc sitting in a lovely restaurant of the Champs Elysees. While according to the latest news you are in Area 11...let me guess, eating pizza?_

"If you know why you ask?"

_Because I want to know: tell me, tell me, from your heavenly lips is dripping perhaps a delicate thread of hot and sensual cheese?_

"Fuck you, you bisexual creep! Why do not you go to snoging with someone of your buddies and leave me alone?" Disgusted the green-haired girl wiped her mouth with rage, from which really oozed a bit of cheese.

_All in good time my sweet. Turning serious, I wanted to inform you that the Second Princess Cornelia almost finished conquering Libya and Egypt. The Middle Eastern Federation is receding but it has already started negotiations with the EU for future cooperation. The Chineses are silent, I suspect they are busies to solve internal problems. Soon the world will be divided into three, just like in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms that S.S. always boasts of having personally experienced. It is not romantic?_

"Like a kick in the teeth. But now that you have made this comparison tell me, what roles you assign to the players?"

_Interesting question. Let's see...of course Britannia and the Emperor are Cao Cao for the lust for power and conquest, the EU Liu Bei for his desire to help all peoples and the CF Sun Quan because they wants to ensure the welfare of their people._

"Bullshit. They are all greedy bastards who want to get rich at the expense of others. "

_Sad but true. There are no more heroes in this world unfortunately. Ah! We have the horses, the Knightmares, but not the knights. Or rather there are but they are all held back by the maneuvers of flaccid and feckless politicians. The world is locked in a sterile stalemate and no one seems able to break it!_

"Maybe there is one." C.C. said, suddenly serious. If her female intuition was still working then _he_ would prove himself the right man. As Cao Cao was defined, a 'Hero of Chaos'.

_Ooh? Have you by chance found a new protégé? Tell me he's cute? Or she is?_

"I'm home." Lelouch's voice rang out from the atrium.

"Goodbye H.H." C.C. abruptly cut the conversation and left the room. Leaning from the balcony he saw the boy who was in the middle of bringing inside a huge amount of shopping bags.

"So: I bought enough supplies to last a week, less obviously perishable products like bread, but I found a pretty cool place in the district. I allowed myself to buy some clothes for you so you can go out without arousing suspicion. I took your size by eye, not knowing what you like I got a dress and white boots, or if you prefer more casual there is a shirt, pants and sneakers of the same color. But for me beyond the school uniform I got a whole new wardrobe, I must say though that the Britannian style leaves much to be desired, and what I need to create a costume and a mask, I have some ideas but I'd like to have your opinion...

Oh, I almost forgot."

He looked up.

"What kind of cuisine do you prefer? Western or Japanese? I will suggest Chinese but I start experimenting only recently and I am still not sure of the results...why are you writhing on the floor laughing?"

* * *

**Lelouch: Ehi! ****What have you done to my character?**

**Milly: I like it. *giggle***

**Lelouch: Silence you!**

**Easy, easy. Lelouch in Canon is defined a good cook right? He is the one to cook the food for parties held by the Student Council, both because the others (except Milly) are terrible cooks and nobody else can meet his exacting requirements (such as measuring ingredients to three significant decimals). I have only accentuated this characteristic with a hint of pride.**

**Kallen: Call it a hint...**

**You find yourself able to eat delicious and absolutely free food and you complain?**

**Rivaltz: I'm not!**


	8. Chapter 6: School

**Sorry for the delay: real life issues. But...over 6000 hits with only seven chapters? Uooohhh! I cannot wait to reach over 9000! I created a poll in my main page about a possible future new crossover and the pair involved. Read and vote. Please?**

**ReinZero: Hidan no Aria? Maybe, why not? It 'a nice idea: heroes of the past and their descendants compared with modern ones. Something like that have to be epic. For Mao I know, I'm referring to his actions in Canon that make him a character who deeply hate. In my fic he will mentally torture someone else.**

**The Master Warlord: two reasons for Lelouch's physical prowess: the first is that he HATES his weaknesses and tries in every way to compensate them. It's true, he would not need it, but he do not want to take risks. The second...well it's about my intention to include...lemon scenes in the future. With five heroines (Kaguya do not count) he will need lots of stamina, right?**

**Tsuchimikado & Aogami: You lucky bastard!**

**Nunnally's blindness in Canon was caused by Charles's Geass, according to my theory of Geass=telepathic powers Geass the medical science of Frog Doc (sorry old man) has the means to cure the effects. Or they used the powers of another telepath.**

**Distort light? Interesting, it could be used as a recurring joke: Accelerator is famous for always appear behind people and suddenly talk, thus scare them to death. Yes, yes, definitely cool.**

**MisterSP: Technically she was Knight of Six in Canon, I decided to change it to make more sense that a person who don't came from a noble family was able to become an imperial consort: to be the number one means that your orders are those of the Emperor. In my fic Marianne has given his title to Bismarck after losing in a duel against him (where he used the Geass just acquired) and then devote herself full time to the marriage.**

**That is the conclusion that Lelouch reached at that time, it's a misunderstanding. In Canon Accelerator can reflect magic, but not in the way he want to because, in fact, he cannot understand the different set of laws. Here is the same: he knows that she is using magic but, using as a reference the laws of science, he sees its handling fail and then believes that Kaori is able to violate the fundamental laws of matter.**

**As I said, English is not my native language, I will try to improve and in the meantime I thank you all for make me know my mistakes.**

**Lulu. Yes, in fact Lelouch has always hated being called that (mostly by Milly), but endured it because, simply, he could not help it (small and gracile remember?). Now...if you are a boy he will punch you, if you are a girl...he will grumbled and try to convince you to stop, urging them to call him even more so.**

**Lelouch: Being a gentleman suck.**

**I know. As for Rakshata...why, gobbling pudding all day should not have reduced Lloyd to a big fat nerd at this point? It's a anime, it violates common sense by principle. Anyway, I'm not saying for sure that she smokes opium, it's a old joke originated in the days of the academy: Lloyd was the first to use it to defend himself from having a "pudding fetish" (an accusation by chance created by Rakshata). Cécile simply never taken the trouble to find out the truth, but she would not be surprised to find it is true.**

**Of course isn't Canon: in fact, I purposely KILLED Canon here. Code and Geass predates English, and in fact in the past the Immortals kept their name or changed it as needed. At some point in the past, however, to regulate the passage of the Code they have decided to distinguish themselves through a codename that is transmitted to the new Immortals: they used the letters of the alphabet for their simplicity and because they were 26 like them. C.C., V.V.,...the correct way to read them is C2 and V2: the first letter distinguishes the individual and the number two is to indicate their dual existence as human beings who live within the flow of time and at the same time out of it, as well as the Geass-users living within society and at the same time outside it. The details...I'm going to explain them in the future: if you're curious you'll just have to continue reading.**

**SCHOOL**

* * *

"Ah, my sweet C.C.: even when you treat me like this I feel a shiver running down my spine! _Que_ _plaisir_!"

The Immortal exclaimed, a voice too sharp to be male and too grave to be female. Passersby, customers and even the waiters stayed away, too...disturbed by the eccentricity of the dude in question for having the courage to approach unless necessary.

The make-up! My god, the make-up!

"Still, it seems that you are not remained idle..."

H.H. was not stupid, for the whole conversation he had used the psychic connection to try to steal some information, without success. He was much younger that her, just eighty years, and without the necessary experience to force her mental defenses.

Only at the end he had achieved something, when the witch appeared to have been distracted by something: the image of the behind of a young man with jet black hair and a name.

"Lul...lol...louch? As lazy? Do you bet that she choose someone like her? Ah! Two slackers who spend all day eating pizza and playing video games: the perfect match!"

A certain witch sneezed in the midst of laughter; the same did a certain guy attempting to understand the strange behavior of his roommate.

"No matter. Whatever V.V. has come up with your help, he has no hope of competing with us. With ME." He snickered ominously."Soon...when the Tower of Babel and Noah's Ark will be active...the world will bow before me! Me! Me! Me! Ah ah ah!"

Needless to say, people became even more distant.

* * *

Things were lively in the Ashford Academy, or at least in one of his classes: rumors about a new transfert student suddenly began to circulating like crazy flies. The fact that Milly Ashford herself had dealt with the practices did not help: everyone acquainted with her knew that the blonde never did anything without some...deviated goals in mind. Who was he? Where did he come? He was a noble or a commoner? They knew he was a guy, but he was handsome?

"Everyone is so excited." Shirley Fenette mumbled. "And still no one has yet met the new student. "

"I already met him." Rivalz said with pride.

"What? How come?"

"I met him two days ago chance. We chat and it turns out he knows the Prez. You should have seen her face when I told her his name: it was as if she had seen a ghost. It appears they have not heard from each other since childhood. "

"A childhood friend?" The mind of the carrot-top girl began to wander in a realm of possible scenarios, many romantics. "What's he like?"

"You will see." The blue-haired boy grinned.

"Order! Order!" The teacher barked. God, what was wrong with kids those days? Back in his day...no, no such thoughts: the moment you start to use the phrase 'back in my day' means that you have become old. He was only 35 years old, damn it! "As you know we have a new transfer student. Greet him politely. You can come now."

A nervous Lelouch was waiting outside the classroom. 'It's only a temporary arrangement so I have to make sure to not attract too much attention'. And don't recreate the same situation of the other world: hordes of adoring fangirls ready to worship him as a god and male students without a girlfriend thirsty of his blood. If he is preparing to wage war against a nation big as a third of the world at least he had a right to a peaceful school life. 'The first impression is what counts: normality is the key. No arrogance, no shyness, go there, show up with a mere neutral greeting and smile. A normal smile, one who communicates joy at the prospect of a new experience. They will say 'Oh.' and I will be one among many. Apart from the Vice-Presidency, but in the meantime the first step. ' Heard the professor he took a deep breath and opened the door.

The students were, well, stunned: the one who entered was a tall, handsome teen, his frame thin but not girlish, an innate elegance in his movements characteristic only of kings and emperors. His hair were long, coming down just slightly past his ears, ebony and soft like silk. His features smooth and elegant, a pair of violet eyes that seemed carved from amethyst. Coming next to the chair he performed a slight bow.

"Nice to meet you all. My name is Lelouch Lamperouge, I'm 17 and I just moved here. I hope to get along with you all." His voice was like the sound of a crystal bell, able to dispel all doubt and discomfort from the hearts of those who listened and blessed them with awe and certainty. The voice of a born leader. He concluded with a smile, the eyes mirror of his intentions.

Only that what was an amiable smile for others applied to him made him the ideal avatar of a knight on a white horse that came to save the princess in distress and he is about to give her a kiss. All the girls (and some boys) squealed "Kyaaah!", little hearts for eyes, while the rest of the guys (except Rivalz) flamed with killing intent muttering "Daaamnt!".

'EPIC FAILURE!' He mentally screamed keeping the facade. 'Everything went wrong! Why? There is a flaw in my plans? Where? Wait a minute, it is a guy here? Noooo, it cannot be that bad, right? Forgive me mother, your son has become filthy!'

Curious how a clever individual can be also so dense. True, such misfortune. The teacher felt coming a headache. He told him to go sit next to Rivalz. As he sat down the other teen greeted him with joy. "Welcome to Ashford. I have to admit, this was the most impressive entry I've ever seen."

"Yeah..." Lelouch replied as he imagined God laughing his ass off to his despair. He however appreciated that the other was treating him in a normal way. "Sorry to have caused such a uproar, it was not my intention."

"Are you kidding? It was fun!" He was honest: since he had met Lelouch his instinct told him that it was worth being around each other: the jet-black hair boy belonged to the category of those to whom always happen interesting things. And his instinct was never wrong.

Except of course when it came to betting. Ah, and also for girls.

* * *

The rest of the lessons proceeded, despite himself, to consolidate the reputation of Lelouch as the school's new idol. And the esper, still busied to finding the flaw in his plans, instinctively fell back in his usual classroom behavior. It's a problem? It is if you are considered the most brilliant genius in a capital of science.

Math: the teacher's eyes almost came out of their sockets when Lelouch, asked to solve an equation, did it _using a differential algebra's formula_ usually taught at the university as if it were the easiest thing in the world.

Science: 'Since when did a student of this school of snobbish kids knows the characteristics and underlying principles of a Black Hole?' is a question that will haunt the nightmares of the professor for many nights.

Art: Lelouch was called to serve as a model for the rest of the class. Many were reprimanded because they lost more time to observe him than to draw. Shirley at the head of course.

History: Nothing to report. Lelouch was particularly careful to understand the differences between the stories of both worlds. That was promptly mistaken for devotion to his duty as a student, plus adding another stone to the pile.

Gym: certainly not phenomenal, Lelouch's physique was never suitable for athletics in the first place, but it did not fall into the category of 'wimpy guy'. After a running many photos were taken in secret, when a T-shirt wet with sweat accentuate his muscular physique.

Lunch: ah, here it is worth to report exactly what happened. For the plot of course.

* * *

"Ehi Lelouch! Come here, man!" Rivalz waved his hand in the direction of Lelouch that, selected his meal, was looking for a quiet place where eat in peace (read: without being bombarded with questions about his past and his preferences, hobbies, tastes, and much more). He was at the same table with a girl he had seen in class. He sat down beside him. "Lelouch, allow me to introduce Shirley Fenette, another member of the Student Council. Since for now on we will work together is necessary to know each other better."

"Work togheter?" The orange-head asked in disbelief.

"Oh yeah, right! I'm sorry if I don't have told you before: the Prez has invited him to join us as the Vice-President. He said that his help will be invaluable and, after having seen you during Math, I understood why."

"Yes, yes, accounts and everything else. Nothing that I have not already done so." Namely: festival such the Daihaseisai and the various flights during lessons to go to the restaurant. '...Now that I think about it I had promised to help with preparations for the next Daihaseisai! Argh! All my plans to beat Tokiwadai and win the event: blown up in smoke! Fukiyose will kill me! Such...no, not plagiarism. "Lelouch Lamperouge. Nice to meet you." He held out a hand. She hesitating shook it. The boy found himself unconsciously contemplating the girl: long orange hair, olive green eyes, pale skin, well-shaped bust, slim waist and long, healthy legs. The school uniform's stockings covered only up to his knees leaving her thighs totally exposed. He had noticed them before, and fortunately now hid from view by the table preventing him from...well, just staring at them. Different from C.C. and Milly, but all the same beautiful: all three were distinguished from all the other girls he had encountered so far by...he could not explained it well, just a pleasant feeling in the back of his mind never tasted before.

Not that what Shirley was feeling while she shook his hand and relished the prospect of being side by side with the esper was less strange. It was only...much stronger. And it radiated from the heart.

* * *

Done to see how our protagonist has raised a flag let's go back to the present time, when Lelouch is accompanied in the room of the Council.

"Welcome everyone!" Milly greeted them when they entered. "Lulu, let me introduce you to another member: the miracle of electronics, which administers the site, and the one the club of Sciences would and made false papers for have her but failed, our Nina Einstein!" She exclaimed pointing to a girl who, working on the computer, cocked her head slightly, nodded toward them and then return to the virtual world. Green hair tied in two small braids, glasses and an expression of extreme shyness. In a second a solid psychological profile formed in the mind of the boy: married to his work, rejection of the outside world in favor of a fictional and manageable one, likely with family issues, traumatic environments and/or episodes of his childhood. A can of worms from which it was better to stay away. If it were not for...

'There on the screen...diagrams to simulate a nuclear reactor? Uranium 235 and...also Sakuradite? Nuclear fission and superconductors, together? Brilliant...and delirious at the same time.' He made a mental note to have a closer look at a later time." Good, I think it's time we get to work. "

"Ready and Quick! I like it! Here, take this." She handed him a file and they sat down.

First half hour: Lelouch's expression was of serious professionalism; second half hour: it became puzzled; third half hour: shock and disbelief; fourth half hour: pure horror.

"World's Largest Pizza Festival?" 'Note: keep it hidden from C.C.' "Festival of the Free Arts? Great Cupid's Day? Student's Fashion show?"

"And don't forget the future Exchange Role Festival, where boys dress like girls and girls like boys based on solidarity and gender equality!" Milly said prideful.

"Most on gender bending I would say. And what is this list of club's repairs for...invasion of horses?"

"Ah, it was the time in which members of the Riding Club to protest against cuts in the founds entered the ballroom on horses. Man, that was awkward." Rivalz said, and like a ominous omen a horseman passed galloping at the door window. Instead on Lelouch it had the opposite effect: he smiled. His mother had once done the same to attract the attention of the Emperor. At the sight Shirley felt melting on the inside like butter on fire.

"GUTS!" Milly cried, causing everyone to jump slightly in their seats. Everyone except Lelouch except that started to look right and left half-expecting to see a idiot with a bandana and a shirt with the Rising Sun appearing out of nowhere like a teleporter. And considering what idiot he could do that too.

"That 'guts' thing again?" Rivalz spoke again.

"Yep, a spell to make you work harder! Everything can be archived with guts!" Milly said as if it were the most natural thing in the world. No one commented, but it was Accelerator who break the silence chuckling. "Lulu?"

He was not angry at the use of his old nickname, even though Shirley promised herself immediately to strengthen their relationship until she can call him the same way without embarrassment. "Ah, Milly: please, stay as you are forever. I almost don't feel homesick. "

True. To Lelouch Lamperouge his true home was Academy City: the place where all espers lived and progressed, where science soaked every aspect of daily life and also where all sorts of crazy things may fall upon you every day. Yes, for the guy who used intelligence and logic to adjust every aspect of his life was, paradoxically, in the craziness that he felt more at home, where he could give free vent to his emotions and the only reason he needed to do something was because it was fun. Misfortune be damned.

The place where he fought and eradicated the Darkness that threatened the innocents, even though at the orders of the greatest Shadow of all, but he was not a saint himself. The only luck was that the ambitions of Aleister, whatever they were, were so otherworldly that they not even touched the lives of ordinary people, and that he needed to supervise every aspect of the city to keep them under control. Hence the need for a cleanser for the scum whose behavior caused problems too big: not the only one, but the best.

The house where he would return and embrace his younger sister, asking her to forgive his long absence and in return receive a scolding. Whatever it takes.

* * *

"Lord Jeremiah, I have the results of the autopsies." The technician handed a dossier to the Margrave sitting at his desk and surrounded on the sides by Kewell and Villetta. It had been less than three days after the defeat in Shinjuku, but the workload was such that none of them had more than five hours a night to rest, weariness apparent in their faces. Exploit the momentary inability of the Viceroy to strengthen the position of the Purebloods was not an easy task, but their 'sponsors' had insisted that they deal with it. Luckily they were accustomed with working together. Jeremiah took and put it on his desktop without opening it.

"I'll read it later with eases. Now I want to hear from you what you've discovered."

He winced. "I'll be honest, there are certain details that make no sense. The soldiers of the royal guard, for example: ballistics examination showed that the bullets that killed them come from their own weapons. Weapons still clutched in they hands when we have found them. As if it was not enough the bullets in the body were on the contrary, as if they were fired, in fact, on the contrary. A impossible thing unless they are bounced back, and there are no signs indicating this possibility.

The commander instead is _a scientific impossibility_: every single bone in his body, and we're talking about 206 of them, were _simultaneously_ moved and rotated on themselves. Any damage to the soft parts was caused by the movement, there are no visible signs that indicate what caused it. Nor do I believe that exist a tool capable of that.

The pilot found in the same place? The sternum was smashed, by the marks left on the bones by a _fist_. Oh, and his entire nervous system was fried, I would say by electrical shock but if so there would be signs in other parts. And there are not. "

The three don't lifted a facial muscle: they had already seen the bodies up close and overcome any inconvenience caused by their sight. No, what they felt was concern: first, because they had nothing but deaths caused by inexplicable means and therefore did not know how to prepare countermeasures; second, because other trials have already noted the total absence of evidence to point to the culprit, the Prince and General Bartley were recovered but did not provide descriptions. The autopsy was their last hope.

"Let's pass to the dead of the base: except those with gunshot wounds, very precise blows to the head and heart that were fired from a gun that belonged to the commander of the royal guard, limbs and other parts of the body have been stripped away with an incredible force, the circulatory system of a few has literally _exploded_: we did not find a single vein or capillary intact. I would venture the hypothesis that they have injected compressed air but I haven't supporting evidence. "

A moment of silence. "It's all?" Asked Gottwald.

"It's all."

"Thank you, you can go now." When they were alone he turned to Soresi. "Your opinion?"

"Apart from the methods used, it is clear that we are dealing with a professional, one who is playing psychologically. Think about it: he stole a gun and also used it despite not needing it. Many of the deaths were purposefully gruesome, to paint a picture of a monster and spreading panic. "

"And it's working," He stepped in Nu. "I heard some rumors, the most absurd of all tell about a _werewolf_ of all things. Still, one wonders why he is spared and simply knock out His Highness and the General."

"According to their testimony that their assailant promised to let them go in exchange for information. I do not know which, they said are secrets of the utmost importance, but they have confessed."

"And a guy like that would keep his word? It makes no sense: to kill Prince Clovis was the most logical behavior for a terrorist."

"Unless..." Muttered Jeremiah attracting the attention. "Unless his goal is more...deep."

"What do you mean?"

"Killing a member of the Royal Family is the dream of every terrorist scum of the colonies, this is clear. But do you remember the battle? We were winning easily when at one point the enemy has acquired Knightmares and began to move in a much more organized style. It don't seems a predetermined operation, so it is logical to assume that they have received a unexpected help. Suppose that the mysterious strategist and the assailant are the same person or belong to the same group: what is the most obvious result that he obtained with these actions? "

"...He shamed us." Declared Villetta.

"That's right: he has demonstrated not only that he can fight on equal terms with us with few resources, but also that he consider us so little of a threat to afford to let the enemy commander live. Not that His Excellency, with due respect, is so strategically important: the people killed were the real masterminds behind the organization of the army, and if he was aware of it it's even worse because it means he knows a lot about us, too much. We have to catch him at any cost."

"Yes but how? We have no evidence and we cannot show no results for too long. We can keep everything covered up until the end of the week, if we have nothing by then we'll have to procure a scapegoat."

"Imprison an innocent man and let the guilty free. Disgusting." Growled the Margrave. "This is not the Britannian Honor that I have sworn to follow."

"I agree with you." Replied Kewell. "Still, the success of the Purist Faction depends on us now. Would you sacrifice all the efforts made so far to get where we are now? Think of what is more important: I know it's a difficult choice..."

"No, you're right: we cannot afford to hesitate. We still have time, let's focus on the research. And, Villetta."

"Yes?"

"Compile a list of...possible candidates to blame in case of failure. May God bless those poor souls if we fail."

* * *

**Nothing to say this time: a simple transition chapter. In the next episode: Lelouch encounters Kallen! A new twist in the plot! Be sure not to miss it! **

**Lelouch: what we have become, an anime? **

**Oh, it's my dream...**


	9. Chapter 7: Confrontation

**No questions to answer, except...over 9000 hits! Yeah! Now the only thing missing is a mention on TV Tropes. Does anyone have any idea of how make this into reality? By the way, I found a beta reader: Genericrandom has agreed to help smooth out some of the rough edges. We are also arranging the previous chapters so remember to take a look. For now only the Prologue.**

**CONFRONTATION**

* * *

Sitting on the couch as usual C.C. was eating her daily portion of pizza while in the background the TV showed a history based quiz game show. The Immortal could have answered every question with ease (as she was, although she would never have admitted, old enough to have personally experienced every great political intrigue from Napoleon to the modern days), but her mind was occupied at the moment with the details that her accomplice had given her yesterday. Trying to avoid an unpleasant start to their relationship by avoiding all of his questions about Geass, she had agreed to answer on condition that she could also ask him questions about his powers. Lelouch had consented. What she had learned had broken some of the few certainties that she had maintained.

An alternate dimension. A city with more than one million people with the same capabilities: Esper he called them, mental powers capable of influencing reality in a myriad of different forms born from science. Almost all of them under the age of twenty. Not only telepathic in nature, as he had defined Geass, but telekinesis, pyrokinesis, teleportation, control of electricity and many others. Few had sufficient force, divided into levels from 0 to 5, to make them a real threat, but those few were able to super-human feats. At Level 4 one acquires the tactical value of a military force; a Level 5 can fight alone against an army on equal terms. Currently there are only seven people with this level, and Lelouch is considered the strongest. He reluctantly admitted that some of the credit went to the special nature of his power, currently unique, which had influenced the ranking.

Vector Control, or 'Accelerator' as he preferred to call it: the power to control any kind of movement, be it heat, kinetic, atmospheric or electrical. His body was wrapped in a shell that would instantly change the vectors of anything around him upon contact. It was set by default to 'reflect' so that any type of attack was reflected back against those who had launched it, but with a little effort he could manipulate it to do finest results. Apparently its use requires high computational power. It explained most of the day's events though. The deflected bullets, the high jumps... punching through Knightmare.

With a glimpse of mirth C.C. realized that, no matter how she looks at it, Lelouch was virtually invulnerable, capable of making the whole world his enemy and survive. He had said no, he knew several ways that in which he could be beaten or killed with the right preparation and equipment, his Power Developer, the scientist who had been following its development, could thrash him like a punching bag.

It did not matter here though. No one knew him, an unknown factor that probably they would have struggled just to explain, let alone find a countermeasure. Add his strategic skills and, for sure, Britannia was about to be hit by a shit-storm never seen before.

This, she decided, was information that she would carefully hide from anyone, especially Marianne and V.V. With a little luck the activation of the Sword of Akasha (originally a hope for a true death and then a plan abandoned when unexpectedly her conscience, which she had long thought silenced, had refused to allow her to commit genocide) would fail, thereby shattering the dream of the mad zi Britannia siblings.

'Maybe...just maybe… it will be worth staying a little longer in this world to see how things evolve. The boy however, needs take fashion lessons. He cooks like a professional, I admit it, but why in the nine circles of Hell would someone take _sentai heroes of all things_ as the basis for making a costume?'

She had been able to convince him to make it more like a tuxedo, agreeing on the use of royal purple, gold and black. That part had come out rather well. The mask though, she still had reservations about. While it was certain that they must hide his identity, the way it had been inspired by the 'King' of chess seemed... _lame_.

And what was this story of last-minute inspiration that required white wire?

* * *

'Geass Runaway: the abuse of Geass brings a state of permanent activation; an unstable mind helps to accelerate the process. It's similar to overloaded esper powers and RSPK Syndrome: dangerous. I'll have to keep under tight control who will accept the contract or risk losing valuable subordinates. To protect myself from their effects my Shield should be enough, but I'd have to do experiments.

Ok, this is done. What remains? Modern History, Chemistry, lunch, finish the costume, call Clovis to know what goes on behind the scenes, look for a way to contact the terrorist cell of Shinjuku, get them to work for me and then start building an army to conquer the world . It should not be too difficult.'

Blessing the day with a glorious wave of ego out of the ordinary (outside the professional everything was fine), opening the door of the class Lelouch entered.

And froze seeing a flash of _red_. The red of fiery flames. The red hair of a girl sitting in one of the benches. The hairstyle and the look on her face were different, but the resemblance was unmistakable: she was the girl he had seen in the truck of the capsule and that, if he was remembering correctly, was piloting the red Glasgow . He thought she seemed a Britannian, but seeing her there in school showed that she was. A traitor like him? He walked past her and sat, but the look he had given the girl did not go unnoticed by Rivalz who felt it necessary to share with his buddy all the knowledge he had on her.

"Kallen Stadtfeld. They say she's sick or something: misses a lot of classes, but still a top student. She's the only heir to the Stadtfeld family, which means she's well-bred and rolling in money. Man, you sure know how to pick 'em."

He resisted the urge to smirk at the comment. 'Sick? It's more likely that she misses classes because she is busy planning attacks and not because she is in bed weakened. Excellent coverage, it allows her to stay away from public life and to justify her absences. And the money? A portion for sure goes to finance her friends. If she is the same person.' "Merely curious about a person I've never seen before. Anyway, the fact that you know so much about her," he gave a mischievous smile, "means she has piqued your interest first?"

"No no no, nothing so limited." He dismissed the assumption with a wave of his hand. "I take note of EVERY cutie in the school." He said taking a white notebook from his bag. "And not only here at Ashford: Carol Academy, Firstborn University, the bunny girls of Babel Tower Casino...name your preference, I'll find your perfect match!" He finished with a wink.

For a split second the image of Rivalz in the visual field of Lelouch was replaced by that of another blue-haired teenager whose preferences for women were able to scare the hell out of even the most incorruptible of men. He gulped. "You'll be lynched someday. Savagely."

"If it's by girls then it'll be worth it."

* * *

In another universe a certain fake kansai-jin smiled at the sudden certainty of not being alone in the road of the fetish extreme, a certain blonde with an aloha shirt sneezed wondering why he feels that he is missing something priceless and finally a certain spiky-haired boy, busy chasing a wind-user magician who kidnapped Index, cursed his misfortune for the sudden absence of his only acquaintance that didn't constantly bring him trouble. "With his brain it'd be so easy to catch the kidnapper... Such misfortune!"

* * *

"Rivalz...!" An angry Shirley glared at Rivalz with enough force to make a hole even in the walls of the Windowless Building . "I thought I burned _that_! How come you still have it?"

"Err...spare copies?" He sweat-dropped.

"RIVAAAALZ!" And thus a mighty punch launched the pervert over the desk, where he hit the teacher with a headbutt that dropped both unconscious. Lelouch meanwhile, unfazed, was pondering an idea.

'A Casino? Uhm...Yes, gambling might be a good solution to solve the financial problems of the school. And to finance my revolution.'

Lunch break. After leaving Cardemonde in the infirmary Lelouch had quietly followed Kallen. She and two other girls were having a little picnic under a tree and the girl continued to be the perfect example of the meek and shy type.

That's it, until a bee decided to have fun with them. As expected they scattered shouting, all but the redhead who without a sound went to hide behind the bushes. Unfortunately, the bee seemed to have decided to find her interesting and followed, continuing to buzz around, maybe it smelled something sweet coming from her. Then she swatted it right in the air with an enviable precision. For a second her expression changed again becoming the skilled pilot who had fought well and won using an old Glasgow with only one arm. The esper smiled.

'Second accomplice: found.'

"God I hate this! I'm sick of acting like a freaking invalid!" Kallen muttered before turn around and come face to face with a boy who had never seen before. 'Shit, I think he saw that.' Wait a moment, now she remembered: he was the new transfer student who had arrived a few days before her return. The two girls who had invited her had talked about him all the time: a bishonen, a mysterious past, polite like high nobility, a genius, an aura that charmed everyone, and much more. Apparently a fan club was already built up that included a quarter of the school's female students (and some male) and their number seemed to increase day to day. Their talks were so annoying, but she admitted that he was certainly good-looking. "Uhm, can I help you?"

Instead of reply the boy bent down to pick up the corpse of the bee, examined it for a few seconds as a scientist would do in front of a laboratory sample and let it fall to the ground looking fairly amused. "No, I got what I wanted."

'What does this mean?' She thought worried, her hand slipping towards her pink purse where she kept a hidden blade.

"By the way, what do you think of Shinjuku?" He asked as a final test.

She stiffened up and her eyes narrowed. "What about Shinjuku?"

'Yeah, easy as drinking a glass of water.' "Some of the guys in class have started going around showing videos from the terrorist attack. It's fairly gruesome, it makes you wonder what kind of person is one who likes stuff like that. Not to mention that it is probably illegal. I just wanted to let you know." And without waiting for an answer he quickly walked away, leaving a confused and distrustful Kallen.

'Could he be...the voice?' She asked herself, thinking about the conversation and the fact that he had appeared just two days after the battle. She had to find out if she was right or not.

And if yes, take care of him.

* * *

"Your Highness?"

"Mmh?" A distracted murmur was the only sign that Clovis was listening, as he was immersed in reading a book. Bartley from the title supposed it was chronicle of the wars conducted by the Empire during the 18th Century.

"Forgive me the audacity, but could you could tell in more detail about...your younger brother? I want to know more about our...new ally, and because you trust him so much." The two had been dismissed from the hospital (it was nothing from the beginning, only the abdominal muscles sore for two days) and with the excuse of being shaken they had locked themselves in the rooftop villa of the Viceroy's Palace, built specifically by Clovis to be a copy of the Aries Villa in Pendragon. The Purebloods had supported this decision, and even more when he left all the decision-making powers to them for the time being. To better help the prince they said. Yeah, right.

With a sharp motion Clovis closed the book and looked up, an unusual serious expression painted on his face, then put the book on the table and reclined on the chair folding his arms over his chest thoughtfully.

"Where to start? Ah, yes. Lelouch and Nunnally vi Britannia were the two children the Emperor has had from Marianne vi Britannia the late 98th Empress. She was a commoner by birth, but her skill in piloting the then emerging Knightmares of the Third and Fourth Generation and her sponsors the Ashford family, the best engineers of the kingdom and curiously also the organizers of the most crazy parties ever seen according to rumor, allowed her to claim the title Knight of One in spite of the fierce competition of other candidates with titles and many more major sponsors. Oh, and do not forget the fact that she fought on the front line for my father during the 'Blood Emblem' feud and was essential to his rise. When he decided to marry her, the protests were even greater still, but as you know; no one disputes his decisions without paying grave consequences." The allusion was clear. "Before the marriage she decided to appoint his successor, whoever was able to beat her in a duel: the one who succeeded was the current Knight of One, Lord Bismarck Waldstein.

She was a great woman. My mother despised her for her commoner blood, but for me she was the embodiment of all the ideals of Britannia, an individual who by their own force of will had managed to gain great power and prestige. She was gentle, but also firm as a rock, she was not afraid to say what she think and fight head-on for what she believed.

Lelouch has taken a lot from her. He was a brilliant boy, a Guinness World Records's I.Q. his tutors had said. And a monster at chess: I played against him many times and have never managed to win. Not once. Although to be honest I can say it was good training for when I approached my other opponents my success rate increased dramatically. Compared to him they seemed as though beginners. The only one who has ever managed to beat him was Schneizel. The two of them were geniuses, even among the elite Britannian Royal Family, Schneizel simply had much more experience. But… in all those years they played against each other only three times. After the third Schneizel told me that he was not sure that the next time he would find a way to win. Lelouch learned quickly, very quickly. It was truly a shame that a fourth match never came…

Nunnally in contrast was the sweetest and most innocent girl I've ever known. Never a worry or a fear, she rejoiced in the life of anyone who was near. Yet when she saw people fighting the blood of her mother re-emerged: stubborn like a mule she intervened and insisted that they made peace, removing every possible justification with childish logic. And I swear, nobody has been able to resist more than a few minutes. She and Marianne were the most precious people in Lelouch's life.

_And someone shoot them before him_!" He hissed through gritted teeth. The General shivered at the rage in the Prince's tone. Never in all of the time that he had known Clovis had he seen the blonde express such emotions. Many believe that the Third Prince didn't have a backbone in him. In truth it depends simply on the topic you want to deal with. "They woke me in the middle of the night, saying that terrorists had stormed the palace, killed the Empress and seriously injured the young princess. _Terrorists_? _Inside the Imperial Capital_? Anyone could tell you how absurd a notion like that is. And then the truth fell on me: I knew that Lady Marianne was not well liked by everyone, but I never imagined that someone would decide to kill her. I even suspected my mother, mind you, but from the way she was scared or she was a great actress, and I know for sure that she is not, or she was innocent. I have never been allowed to see them or to attend at the funeral, only to receive the official reports: Nunnally had lost the use of her legs and eyes; a brief investigation was carried out and immediately declared a terrorist attack without a single culprit caught.

Lelouch confronted our father in public and his only reply was to be exiled along with his sister here to Area 11, as a bargaining chip for Sakuradite negotiations. I could not even say goodbye when they left the homeland. Cornelia was the only one to see him briefly during the funeral. Bartley, have you ever seen the great Witch of Britannia scared?" The bald soldier shook his head, wondering if such a thing were even possible. "I have: she was pale as a sheet and couldn't stop shaking. As if she had looked Death itself in the face and had all the heat torn from the body. She refused to talk, so I requested an explanation from her subordinate Andreas Darlton, who looked no better. He simply replied that no child should have an expression like that. After one year the war broke out and they were given up for dead.

Bartley, you asked me why I trust him. The answer is because Lelouch is the kind of person you can always count on. It is as simple at that. He does not help anyone, unless it happens right before his eyes, but for people who he cares for he would do anything. And is smart enough to always find a solution. It was raw at that time, but you could recognize the greatness in him. We discussed often that when Odysseus, or as was more likely Schneizel, would become Emperor Lelouch would be a perfect Prime Minister. You see how well he beat us. I do not know where Lelouch was all these years, what he has done or..." He thought of that display of mysterious power. "...What skills he acquired, but one thing is certain: no one, I repeat no one becomes his enemy and remains unscathed. He's just _that_ good. It is simply a truth."

"Even though...even if it is his own family, his own nation? I know I'm one to talk, but it is still treason."

"Britannia was born when the First Emperor, Eowyn _the_ Britannia, brought together all the Celtic tribes to fight against Julius Cesar and the tyrannical Roman Empire. Now if he came back to life, watching his glorious nation transformed into a copycat of what was his first and most hated enemy, what do you believe would do?" Clovis deadpanned. "I'll tell you. First he would curse us and then proceed to cut us into pieces with his own hands.

Power built on the blood and death of the defenseless? No matter how righteous the reasons, it's not worth it. Not one bit."

* * *

Kallen began stalking him. Subtly of course, but he was a Hound Dog in all but name and no mere amateur could hope to escape his senses.

It was a good thing. Now all that remained was to make sure that the two of them remain alone for a good chat. In a place where it was highly unlikely to be disturbed.

He knew a good place.

In class he approached the girl and asked. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" As if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Her eyes narrowed. "Sure. I was wondering when you'd ask." A second later she winced, as that choice of words sent her 'friends' into squeals. Accelerator merely wondered what they had to be so excited about.

Left the class Kallen followed Lelouch into a side-building she had never really noticed. "What is this place?" She asked out of curiosity.

"The clubhouse of the Student Council. It was initially a ballroom, and on some occasions it is used as such, but most of the times we of the student council are the only ones here."

"We?" She did not know he was part of the Council.

"Milly offered me the task when I arrived. We are childhood friends and she...needed a hand."

"I see. So we won't be disturbed here?"

"Yes. Now..." He began, but was interrupted by a call from the upper floor. "Found them Madam President!"

He looked up. "Shirley?" And Milly. And Rivalz. And Nina. Ooookay, weren't they supposed to be busy elsewhere?

Milly beamed. "Ah Lelouch, you brought her. Good, now I don't have to do it."

Kallen was suitably confused. "Um, what's going on?" The black haired boy wanted to ask the same thing.

They came down the stairs. "Well, grandfather mentioned that with your constitution, you have problems joining a club, and since all students have to join a club he thought you'd fit in the Student Council."

Oh. Oh.

Oh.

Thank you very much, old man Ruben. Really, thank you very much. Now he could contact her with virtually no trouble. Seriously, he should have thought of such a possibility himself.

Kallen smiled weakly. "I really appreciate it, but I don't think..." She started, not really eager at the prospect of spending even more time with those Britannians. They did not seem to be bad people, but school was already difficult as it was.

"No, you should do it." Lelouch interrupted with an all-knowing expression while stroking his chin. "It's a nice job. We have to calculate budgets and plan events, but in return we get a lot of privileges. In some situations we can go to places off limits even to the staff. Not to mention the contacts with pretty much all the noble families of the city and our sponsors."

Kallen blinked. Well..._this_ can possibly help her comrades. And perhaps find some ways to discreetly leave school. She couldn't call in sick every day, after all. "Well, I guess it couldn't hurt to try it out. In fact I was a little sad at the prospect of not being able to do any extracurricular activity."

Milly clapped her hands. "Good! We've already prepared some things for your welcoming-party."

"Yeah!" Rivalz continued. "So, how about a toast now to our newest member?" He pulled out a large bottle of what looked like champagne.

Shirley was on him in the blink of an eye. "Rivalz, we're underage! Where did you get that? Give it to me!"

Rivalz twisted and turned, before tossing the bottle to Lelouch. "Relax," he called out. "it's only Ginger Ale." The esper glanced at the bottle and confirmed that yes, it was strictly non-alcoholic. Too bad, he would truly appreciated a nice sip of champagne. Or otherwise Saké.

Still not convinced the carrot-top pounced on Lelouch. "Let me see it Lu...Lelouch-kun!" She hastily corrected herself. Soon, not yet but soon.

The boy was about to give it to her when he had an idea. He had yet to speak with Kallen and the timing was too good to miss it. He lifted the bottle into the air and increased the inside pressure caused by carbon dioxide with his Vector Control. Shirley tried to reach it but lost her balance and causing them both to land on the floor. A little unexpected but he was still in control so he aimed the bottle at Kallen and with one last push the cork popped and the liquid shot out of the bottle. The girl smacked the cork away but missed the second attack, the Ginger Ale poured on her head soaking her shirt and skirt.

'Good. Now she will be forced to use the club shower and...!' His face turned a bright red. With her clothes soaked her bra and underwear had suddenly become visible. Not to mention her _skin_.

_This_ wasn't something he had considered. But it was alright, all he has to do was lift the glance...

And come face to face with the even more blushed face of Shirley which was still on top of him, her generous bust pressed against his chest and her _legs_...

Oh god.

* * *

Interlude

Nunnally Lamperouge, a middle-school girl, was eating the delicious miso soup her new friend and caretaker Maika had prepared when her happy eyes suddenly opened wide.

"...Onii-sama is doing ecchi things!"

End of the Interlude

* * *

Kallen sighed as the water rushed over her. What's up with those people? Getting weird all of sudden...

Someone knocked at the door. "Stadtfeld-san? I brought some clothes for you to change." Lelouch. Perfect.

"Come inside." Through the curtain she saw his silhouette enter and close the door.

"Sorry about all this. Milly above all...she love pranks, and I fear that she unconsciously affected us all."

"No problem. Nothing wrong with letting loose every once in a while." Obviously she would soon have her revenge. "That was fast. Where did you get the clothes?"

"Ah. Milly keeps a large collection of costumes here in the clubroom. For parties. Don't worry, I chose one of the most normal. But please, burn it and claim to have lost it. I fear that someday the President will force me or Rivalz to wear it."

"Why?" Disbelief painted in her voice. Though the thought of Lelouch wearing girl's clothing...! What she was thinking!

"Because she is Milly. And an Ashford, which is even worse. That's right; this is a little downside I should have mentioned." Call it little! "I'll leave you alone now."

"Wait! Could you hand me that purse over there?" The shadow moved and a hand extended through the crack between curtain and wall holding her pink purse. She grabbed his wrist in a vice-like grip with her left hand while her right hand snatched her purse.

"Well aren't you a lively one?" He asked, his face hidden but the tone clearly mocking.

She hit a hidden switch: a knife blade came out and she held it close to the boy's arm.

"Were you the one from Shinjuku?" She asked, but in that very moment a blur shot through the opening between the curtain and the wall and suddenly the barrel of a gun was aimed at her head, her left eyes only centimeters apart from the black hole threatening certain death. Her blood froze and before she can react an amused voice, so similar as that of the radio, spoke. Through the curtain.

"Glad to see you again, Q-1."

* * *

"Glad to see you again, Q-1." Lelouch was expecting something like that, plus he had noticed that the purse was unusually heavy. So he brought the gun, not because he needed it, but to intimidate. "Just out of curiosity, if I had answered yes, but maybe even no because how would have explained a threat with that weapon, what would you have done to my body? Because, y'know, there are four other normal students below that expect to see me return."

Kallen berated herself harshly. Not only was it a trap but a fairly obvious one and she fell for it! But what made her the angriest was that the bastard was right. What would she do if she had been forced to kill him? Her guilt would be clear, and unless she eliminated the others she would have been forced into hiding. It would have meant the end of this hated double life but then how she was going to help her friends? Not to mention her mo...no, _that_ woman did not deserve her attention. "I could ask you the same question. And so you're..." She recalled the strange code name by which he presented himself. "...Accelerator?"

"Sure I am. And you're right; none of us would come out of it clean. So, what do you think of putting down the weapons and talking like civilized people? Even if I do not really know what to expect from a person that thanks me for saving her life while being chased by armed Sutherlands by trying to cut my veins."

What? Was he the one in the rogue Knightmare? She gritted her teeth. "Someone jumps out of nowhere, never show themselves and pulls out incredible resources from mysterious sources and you wouldn't be suspicious? Plus you're a Britannian!"

"As are you." She winced. "Still you fight against it. Maybe because...you're a Half?" He felt her grip on his arm loosened slightly. "I've got it, right? I considered other possibilities but since your teammates are all Japanese this was the most likely. They've known you for a long time and know they can trust you."

"Then, you too...?"

"Nope, unfortunately I'm a pure Britannian. And it's why I didn't show my face. To avoid alienating all of you right away. For the Knightmares I gave you, I just intercepted a message about a train load of enemy supplies and made you hijack it. Blame those stupid officers. "

It...made sense. "But then why are you fighting your country?" She could not understand. Why would a Britannian boy who had everything life can offer decide to fight for the other side? Instead she was Japanese: those damn Brits killed her brother! Violated her country and ruined her happy family!

She saw the hand holding the gun tightening until the knuckles turn white. His voice was full of cold fury. "Because soldiers of MY country killed my mother. And shot my little sister. All before my eyes.

I was only _nine_ years old!"

Kallen barely held a gasp. "...Why?"

"Collateral damage." It was not exactly the truth but a version fairly easy to accept. "Britannia favors the strong over the weak. Even if they are its own people. They only had to complete their mission, no matter who was in the middle. And our father instead of doing something decided to getting rid of us by sending us here in Japan as political hostages. Do not misunderstand, he knew that a war was about to being. He simply did not care. What I had to do to make sure the both of us survived… _you cannot even being to imagine._

Now tell me, Kallen Stadtfeld, am I still suspicious?"

There was a long silence on the other side. "...Kozuki. My real name is Kallen Kozuki. And I trust you. Nobody can fake such hatred." She let go his arm and pulled in the blade. In response he put the gun in the holster behind his back.

"1600 hours the day after tomorrow, the observation deck at Tokyo Tower . Come with some of your friends: tell them you received a call from the mysterious voice. I will explain what I want from you all. I will be masked, and I would like that you do not reveal my identity. I prefer to first prove my intentions with action. And there are reasons why I cannot show my face to anyone. If you consider it a betrayal of your fellows...sorry, these are my conditions." He folded his arms over his chest.

"You mean to hide your identity forever?"

"No, but I prefer to reveal it only to those I know I can trust."

"You revealed it to me. And you knew almost nothing about me."

"Consider it a token of good will. If in the future you come to feel I'm a threat I authorize you to expose and eliminate me." Not that it would work. "For now, I only ask you to give me the benefit of doubt."

Kallen considered it for a moment. "I...can do this."

"Good. Now I must go or they will begin to wonder what it is exactly that we are doing here. And knowing Milly...you do not want weird rumors about us, right? See ya." Waving a hand he got out and close the door, leaving a bewildered Kallen behind him.

"Lelouch...Lamperouge. What a strange individual..."

When Kallen finally emerged from the bathroom nothing seemed changed. Of course there were questions about why Lelouch had gone so much but calmed them by saying that he had lightened her mood talking about a similar incident which had happened to him in the past. He then proceeded to explain the duties of the Student Council, and Milly's crazy habits, when Rivalz called them from where they kept the TV.

"Guys, it's awful! Prince Clovis has been attacked! They're saying he's safe but almost all of his advisers were brutally killed."

He had spared the Prince? Kallen she turned to Lelouch. Her unspoken question was 'Why?'.

'Later' was the same unspoken answer as they approached. Nina was sitting and shook like a leaf while the others were worried but composed. Honestly, what was this girl's problem?

The picture shoved a podium where a man with orange eyes and bluish hair was holding a speech.

"Our beloved Prince Clovis has been attacked by a cowardly assassin who murdered the proud leader of our Purist Faction and his trusted officers. They died protecting him! They died as martyrs to save His Highness' life and they succeeded, and for this I thank them for the bottom of my heart. We will not let their sacrifice be in vain! This will not be forgotten, nor forgiven!

My people, I announce that we have captured the murderer. An Eleven that we Britannians welcomed into our arms as an Honorary Britannian and that in return has betrayed our trust and benevolence: Suzaku Kururugi!" The image shifted showing the bruised boy bound in a prison suit and dragged by two guards. Kallen turned to observe the reaction of Lelouch. And recoiled back, nearly screaming.

For the expression of RAGE on his face could only be worn by a demon.

* * *

**Lelouch: Wait, no curtain opened and body exposed? Pity.**

**Kallen: Pervert.**


	10. Chapter 8: The Night When a Demon Arose

**TV Trope! I'm on TV Trope! Yeeaaahhh! Thank you very much amitakartok! Now I must collect a number of trope high enough for a personal page. That and made this fic awesome. Then become a billionaire with some obscure business, buy Sunrise and produce a 'Rebuild of Code Geass' with a less pathetic Lelouch, a real Yandere C.C., a Suzaku with a confused sexuality (for the lulz!), real mecha one hundred feet high, space bases, useful jets to bombing from the skies, missiles-type weapons...**

**Lelouch: We lost him.**

**Milly: You think is because of the joy?**

**Lloyd: I like those idea! Largest Knightmare means more space for weapons and systems.**

**Suzaku: Wait a minute! He want to mess with my sexuality just for fun!**

**C.C.: The thousands of yaoi fics out there suggest that he is not the only one. And that it is best to never make a story with two pretty boys as a main protagonists .**

**Lelouch & Suzaku: AAAAAARRRRGGHHHH! *heavy despair crash on them***

**MisterSP: I know. I use them to make things easy.**

**Z-Breezy: Oh yes, is already under construction.**

**ReinZero: Don't worry, Hidan no Aria will be here. Not only it, I'm planning a lot of appearances from a great number of sources. I don't like (too much) OCs, so I will use OOC characters (who instead I like very much, especially if they make interesting changes). Battles take place not only inside Knightmares. Prepare to a world of conspiracies.**

**For the Six Houses of Kyoto of the remaining four one place is already assigned, but I gladly accept suggestions. Just remember: no OC but only characters from works like manga and anime works already existing.**

**THE NIGHT WHEN A DEMON AROSE**

[*]

Lelouch came back into the house slamming the door violently. C.C., still sitting in the living room, turned her head and as expected, the boy radiated barely constrained anger. She decided it was best for the moment to drop the teasing.

"I saw the news. He is the soldier of Shinjuku, right? Kururugi, the same surname of Japan 's last prime minister."

"His son." Lelouch said. "A friend of mine. Nunnally and I spent the year before the war under his care. Although I do not know what kind of brain damage he received to have decided to join the army. I expected a move like that, only I did not think they would choose Suzaku. Oh well, sucks to be them. They touch my friends, _I touch them_." He cracked his knuckles and glanced at the green haired girl. "I contacted the redhead I mentioned earlier. She accepted. Tomorrow we will have to do some scene to convince his companions, choose appropriate clothing to mingle in the crowd; you will have to ensure that no one follows us. "

"As you command, my fearless Leader." She replied with a half-serious tone. "Do you have a plan?"

"I have ALWAYS a plan. A lot of plans currently. I'll be in my room. We will have dinner in twenty minutes." He left.

"Yeah, sucks to be them." She turned back toward the TV where a couple of reporters were still arguing about the case. Lelouch's obsession with the protection of his friends was borderline unearthly, but understandable given the boy's past. Certainly better than to become like his father and consider everyone to be disposable minions. He could still consider himself...human.

'Twenty minutes? Just enough time to order some pizza.' Lelouch's credit card suffered another substantial drain.

[*]

Once in his room Lelouch sat on the bed, pulled out a disposable cell phone and dialed the personal number of Clovis . He had a good supply of those, each with its own number, each ready to be thrown after a single compromising use. His brother answered at the second ring.

"I don't know this number. Who are you?" Distrustful. Good, he's learning.

"It's me, Lelouch."

"Lelouch! Glad to hear you again. What do you need? No wait, is for the Eleven they arrested?"

"Correct. Suzaku Kururugi, the son of Japan 's late Prime Minister Genbu Kururugi."

"The son of...! What is he doing among the Honorary Britannians?"

"I must remember to ask him. Now tell me, did you have some part in this?" The coldness of his tone dropped a few degrees.

"No, nothing. They just said that they had identified the culprit and had some hard evidence while delivering a vague report. But I still have some people loyal to me out there and made them do some investigating: it is obviously a political move to question and abolish the system of Honorary Britannians. But get this; Margrave Jeremiah Gottwald, the current leader of the Pureblood Faction, began his military career at the Imperial Palace _as part of the personal guard of Empress Marianne_."

Lelouch was shocked. Jeremiah Gottwald? The guy who gave the announcement? He tried to think back on the past times at the Aries Villa. He remembered Cornelia as the captain of the guards, but the faces of the other members were a blur. "What do you know of him?"

"I have his psychological report right here. Fanatically loyal to the Imperial Family, he suffered an emotional breakdown after the murder. He considered himself personally responsible for the incident. After months of therapy he recovered and resumed his career in the army. It seems he formed a group with two other officers: Knights of Honor Villetta Nu and Kewell Soresi. Both are citizens of the empire, but with foreign ancestors, the first Australians, the second Arabs, and you know how certain things create prejudices among the military. Gottwald is the same with German roots, but his noble title and the long history of it protect him. I imagine they aim to get hereditary titles to improve their lifestyle. Entering the Purebloods was probably the safest route. "

'Hmm, this Jeremiah guy seems an interesting fellow. Mother's guards were all her admirers, Cornelia personally assured it, so maybe I could convince him to switch to my side with the prospective of avenging her death. Too bad I'll have to humiliate him publicly.

Or maybe...yes, I can also use this to my advantage with the other two. Destroy their expectations in the current Britannia and then offer them a new world, a new hope. A few revelations about the dirty business of the old man, assurances that the real traitors are the current rulers of the country, a lot of charisma...yes, I have everything to gain and nothing to lose.' "Ok, what they are going to do?"

"A public procession to the court, where of course everyone from the judge to the defense lawyer already know the verdict. You plan to free him, right?"

"Correct. Tell me Clovis , do you have a personal car?"

"Huh? Yes of course, parked inside the palace. Do you want me to deliver it to you?" He asked, even though he did not understand what he could do with it.

"No, I want you to make sure it stays where it is and to make sure everyone knows that you're not going to be present." He answered, a detailed plan already forming in his head. A plan that was becoming clear even to Clovis who promptly turned pale.

"Lelouch! That is suicide!"

"Oh no, I will pull this off rather nicely. Switching to another topic, tell me did Bartley receive my plans?" During the week he had studied the blueprints of the so-called 'Knight Giga Fortress' and his direct neural control system and then used his knowledge of the Testament machine to improve it. The long, additional hours of study finally paid off. But seriously, the scientists of this world had superconductors; _honest to God superconductors_ and they used them only to create better computers and Knightmares? Incompetent warmongers.

"Yes, he almost danced for the joy when he read them. He said he does not know how he did not think of the ideas you sent before, and thanks to them his projects will be ready much sooner than expected. He also commented that it looks like a technology tested for a long time. Lelouch, might I know where you picked it up?"

"It's a secret. Let's say I spent a lot of time in a place totally dedicated to research and development, not only militarily, and that I enjoy learning new things. I must go now, but be sure to follow the event on TV. It will be broadcast worldwide correct?"

"Yes, they will not miss the opportunity to show off."

"_Perfect_. Goodbye Clovis ." With that he closed the call. 'The scenario becomes more and more complicated. Of course I predicted it, except for the involvement of Suzaku.' His thoughts went back to his childhood friend and their recent meeting. 'I wonder if I can convince him to follow me. But at Shinjuku...that was not the Suzaku I remember. What happened to change you so much? The death of your father? The fall of Japan ? And why are you helping Britannia?' So many questions and Lelouch was not sure he wants to know the answer.

[*]

Kallen visited the Tokyo Tower the following day at the direction of Lamperouge. At the same place, hidden among the crowd, Ohgi, Tamaki and three others pretended to admire the display. She said that the mysterious voice had contacted her and agreed to meet her there, alone. Ohgi had immediately called for volunteers to escort her, not knowing that was what Kallen wanted. She still felt a little guilty to lying to Naoto's best friend, but she wanted to see what Lelouch had to offer. She did not want to admit it but the young Britannian intrigued her. So far she had drawn a clear line between the Japanese and the Britannians, the former friends and the latter enemies (she preferred to not think about the hypocrisy of her birth) but she had a new reality thrown in her face. She knew now that the Empire was cruel to everyone, even its own citizens. And with the skill which he had brought them victory, she wanted to see what else he could do with it.

She soon received the call to go out and take the monorail, after doing so she received another call telling her to exit at the next station and 'follow the girl with green hair'. Said girl was sitting on a bench in the station, a hat partially obscuring her face, and when she saw her she nodded her head, got up and headed toward an industrial area. With discretion Kallen approached her.

"Are you the contact?" She asked, her voice low enough to prevent others from hearing her.

"You see any others with such beautiful and luscious hair?" She answered with a smirk. "You can call me C.C.: a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Kallen Stadtfeld."

"C-Charmed." The redhead replied, unsure of the real intentions of the girl. And C.C.? Only the initials? Or was it a code name?

Soon they reached their destination, an old abandoned warehouse. The door lock was broken and after bringing them C.C. sat on a chair beside the door.

"Oi, oi, don't you think it's time to give us some explanation?" Tamaki started, but was immediately silenced.

"I'm just a guide. Go ahead, _He_ is waiting. I have to make sure no one enters." C.C. replied. The hothead wanted to argue but Ohgi pulled him away. Eventually they reached the center of the warehouse: there, waiting for them half hidden by the shadow, was a figure wrapped in a cape. The darkness hid his body from the legs and up. The impression was of a bat ready for an ambush.

"Welcome." His voice was heavily distorted by some electronic device. "I trust the trip went smoothly?"

"Y-Yeah. Are you Accelerator?" Ohgi asked.

"The one and only. And you are Ohgi Kaname." At their gasps of surprise he simply chuckled. "Come now, I found Miss Stadtfeld, do you think you were any more difficult? So tell me, what is the reason behind your actions?"

"What else could it be? Obviously to resist Britannia!" He declared.

"A praiseworthy motivation." A pause. "However, the methods are _wrong_."

"Wrong? What do you mean?" Kallen asked. What was his game?

"Quite simple." He stepped forward in the light opening the cloak. They gasped and even Kallen was not expecting something like that. He was wearing a deep, rich, royal purple suit trimmed with gold and black. At the front were three white diamond shapes with oddly patterned lines around it, vaguely resembling a graph of vectors to the sides of the pattern (the same design of Canon Accelerator's first T-shirt). And over his head he wore a blank-faced helmet, black but for a deep purple faceplate and below that a stylized crimson bird in flight. "You are targeting the wrong enemy. You attacked civilians, but the military is the true foe that has conquered and now holds Japan . The only result of your actions is to provide justifications for the violence they inflict, to convince the world that they need to use an iron fist. Tell me, before Shinjuku has there been a victory against the Empire?" Their faces darkened. "Not one since Itsukushima . I'm not denying your bravery. You have courage, you could live oppressed but without risks like many others, bowing to Britannia. Instead you have taken the most difficult road, putting your life on the line for the sake of others and your country." He raised both of his hands. "And exactly because you have this courage you should spend it in order to obtain concrete results." He put his right hand on his chest. "Results that I can offer to you. To make Britannia fall, to show those arrogant how their strength is but a lie, to free Japan and regain the rights that have been stripped from you. Let us make them know _fear_. Not the one of terrorism but the _absolute terror_ that shatters the sanity of lesser men, that make troops flee at mere sight and leads the enemy to build its own grave.

Let's show them _victory_! The two-thousand year old dream of Britannia superiority will end, _by our hands_."

His voice had taken on a majestic tone, discernible even through the device. He exuded absolute confidence and such passion that everyone, unwittingly, were affected. All but Tamaki with that thick skull of his.

"Oh please that's all easy enough to say, isn't it? Hiding behind that mask, why should we even trust you? You talk of fighting Britannia, but you spared one of their princes!" He yielded.

"And why _I_ should trust you?" Lelouch remarked. They remained silent. "There's a reason why I wear this mask." He tapped at his helmet. "And I cannot risk taking it off except in front of those that I blindly trust. And while so far you seem trustworthy that is not something I can know for certain yet.

Regarding Clovis ...spared? Silly things like that are below me. The only reason he is still alive is because he is, quite simply, an idiot. Charles Zi Britannia has many children and those who hold political and military positions owe their positions, with few exceptions, to this simple fact without any real merit. And Clovis 's only skill is painting, the true masterminds behind the policy of this Area were his advisers who, just to be clear, were already dead even before I entered into the base and made him call off the massacre. Most of all, I think you will agree that having an incompetent enemy commander boosts our advantages." He was amused at his own joke. "But enough. You speak of trust? Very well. But rather than my face, bear witness to my power. If I deliver to you the impossible, then I might have earned your trust. Prepare yourself..." A rather dramatic pause, his left hand pointed at them and his right on his hips.

"...because I will shake the very foundation of your reality!" Inside his helmet he smiled at their confusion. A dangerous smile.

[*]

"Nice speech." Commented C.C. when, later and in street clothes, they walked along the city streets. "'Let's make them know fear', 'I will shake the very foundation of your reality'. Which anime did you steal that from?"

"Several various ones. I do not remember the exact names, Nunnally forced me to watch them with her." He casually replied. The Witch looked at his face and blinked. Nope, complete sincerity. "Just to be clear I do not like it either. But I need to be seen as a hero and the masses are familiar with this sort of cliché. It's just the simplest and fastest method. Is it deception? Yes. But my reputation will be a crucial factor in my future plans and if it is necessary for me to degrading myself so much, so be it."

"Degrading yourself? Why, don't you want to be a hero?" She asked. His answer was unexpected.

"I'm not a hero. I'm a villain." Seeing her confused expression he calmly explained. "I'm a selfish person, too selfish to be called 'hero'. Violent methods are the only thing I can use to pursue my goals, while a true hero protects everyone. I'm just a bad guy pretending to be the good guy in order to defeat the more villainous bad guys. I have no choice, and I'll hate every single moment I will spend pretending at this role."

The green haired girl pondered on his statements. Truly, Lelouch was a peculiar individual. The first time she saw him she expected a prideful and inexperienced brat and instead he was far more complex, a skilled mastermind full of determination and the awareness of being 'evil' without looking for excuses to justify his actions. So similar to his parents, yet so different. But there was one thing that she would argue against. "True heroes who can protect everyone don't exist." If they exist then why she was still forced to live in her personal hell?

"They exist. I saw one with my own eyes." Lelouch declared with confidence. "It is simply a rare inborn talent that needs the right conditions. If I, a 'true villain', will ascend then there is the possibility that a 'true hero' will rise as well and archive my objectives with less bloodshed. This way everyone wins."

C.C. stopped and stared at the back of Lelouch who, unaware of the chance, continued walking. 'Apparently I was not wrong. There are still ideals in him, only I did not think they were so..._distorted_. But his certainty...what is in your past, Lelouch Vi Britannia? What experiences have you had that have forged you in such a way?' Even with her centuries-old experience they were questions to which the Witch could not give answers, but remained firmly determined to find them.

She resumed walking, for the first time in a long, long time genuinely interested in another human being.

[*]

Facing Suzaku's cell Lloyd smiled at him. "Congratulations. Those two you asked me about weren't on the list of casualties." The boy sighed in relief. But then the scientist continued. "Not much luck on your end, though. You may get a trial, but no one is pulling for you except Cécile and myself, and there's nothing we can do."

Suzaku was confused. "But the court is where truth comes to light."

Lloyd blinked. "Who told you that nonsense? You'd be hard-pressed to find a place with more smoke and mirrors. The truth is obsolete here."

Suzaku's face hardened. "If that's how the world works, then I do not want to live here anymore. I have no regrets."

Lloyd shrugged, but before he left he spoke again, an odd and sad look on his face. "We all have regrets Kururugi. We live and in doing so we grab some opportunities and lose others. If you really do not have regrets then I'm afraid you've lived a very miserable life until now."

[*]

Only Kallen and Ohgi responded to his invitation, but he was expecting something like that. Rather, those two were all the help he needed. They had spent the last hours before the procession assembling various scraps until they had obtained an exact copy of Clovis's personal car. If you looked at it from a distance. More than enough for what he had in mind. The only problem arose when Kallen had expressed her concerns to his request to mount a bullet-proof window.

Concerns expressed even more clearly when he handed over to her a chauffeur's uniform asking her to act as the driver. He had assured her that it was just a precaution. The bullet-proof window, that is.

And now here he was, standing on top of a car and hidden from view from a flag, headed for a convoy escorted by about thirty soldiers, three Sutherlands and at least four others Knightmares on board of VTOL equipped with machine guns and perhaps missiles.

Just another night for the Accelerator. 'The only thing that I need to watch out is the count of dead. I will try to manage to keep it to zero, but I will not hold myself responsible if some idiot tries to be a hero.'

The radio sparked to life. "Lord Jeremiah, there's a vehicle coming right towards you."

Jeremiah looked at the communicator. "Terrorists? Shoot them down."

"No sir, it's Prince Clovis's transport!"

"What?" What was doing the Prince here? He lifted a hand to signal the others to stop and contacted the palace guards. Clovis was still there. But then who was on that car? A blind rage pervaded him. "Kewell, Villetta, it appeared some comedian is on the way. I will handle him." After a few seconds, the car bearing the Britannian flag came into view and stop about twenty meters away. "You dare think to usurp His Highness's transport?" The Margrave thundered. "Come out of there at once!"

In response flames erupted from the base of the flag, the symbol of the Empire crumbling to ashes to reveal a figure clad in darkness: a black mask and cape all that was visible. Everyone present gasped at the apparition and even more when he stepped forward opening the cape showing the royal outfit behind. He folded his arms over his chest and spoke. "Good evening Jeremiah Gottwald." His casual tone despite the situation sounded like a mockery. "Allow me to introduce myself: I am...Accelerator."

[*]

Inside their Sutherland: Villetta Nu and Kewell Soresi.

"Accelerator?"

"Is he alone? Is he going to die?"

[*]

In his room: Rivalz Cardemonde.

"Oh, now THIS is interesting!"

[*]

In the rebel's hideout: Ohgi Kaname.

"This is his plan?"

[*]

The little traitor, pardon: Suzaku Kururugi.

'Is he...an Eleven?'

[*]

Scared to death, right between the Sutherlands and Accelerator: Kallen Kouzuki.

'Aaargh! Why did I ever trust him?'

[*]

Inside the media van: Diethard Ried.

"Accelerator? Some kind of hidden meaning?"

[*]

In the Narita mountains: Kyoshiro Tohdoh.

'Take heart Suzaku. Someone is apparently willing to risk his life to save you.'

[*]

Pendragon: some Knights of the Round.

"Accelerator? If he is a Eleven rebel why he use a English name?"

"Bold move, I'll admit it. A pity it is totally useless."

"He...will die."

"Uuuoooh! What fancy clothes! I wonder if he is gorgeous even without them?"

"Umm, it is indeed a fancy move. There is obviously more behind it."

"More a suicidal move. But I agree with you my friend."

"...I have a bad feeling."

"Is it a Power Ranger! Or maybe a Kamen Rider? No, no...I know! He is a Tekkaman!"

[*]

In the Forbidden City : Zhou Xianglin and Li Xingke.

"What do you think Xingke-dono?"

"This...might prove interesting."

[*]

In her room: Sayoko Shinozaki.

'Accelerator?'

[*]

Pendragon: Charles Zi Britannia.

"If you are who I think you are...then, show me what power you have obtained!"

[*]

Kyoto : Taizo Kirihara.

"Another fool about to die."

[*]

Kyoto and other various cities across Japan.

"Accelerator? It is a new name."

"Hmph! At least someone who is a real man!"

"Oohh, are we witnessing the birth of a hero?"

[*]

Old England.

"Idiot! What kind of rescue mission is that?"

[*]

Tokyo Ghetto.

"... It almost seems like something that you would have thought...Nii-san."

[*]

Area 13: Cornelia, Dalton and Gilbert.

"Bah! Just another terrorist asking to be put down!"

"...No."

" Dalton ?"

"There is something behind, I'm sure of it. Some sort of plan."

[*]

Paris: H.H.

"My, my, it seems there is a joker among us. Perhaps, this is your work, C.C.?"

[*]

In the Homeland: Euphemia Li Britannia.

"Oh my...what's going on? Who's Accelerator?"

[*]

I'm not sure where: Schneizel El Britannia.

"Interesting. Despite the hopeless situation someone is trying to save this Kururugi. From where does his confidence come? After seven years of domination the backs of the Elevens is not yet broken? Or maybe...he is not even an Eleven?"

[*]

Back in Lelouch's house: C.C.

"This will be a massacre. Have fun Lelouch, but be sure to bring back alive the redhead: she may be an interesting contractor.

[*]

Their lab: Lloyd and Cécile.

"Look! If we're lucky we'll get back our precious specimen!"

"Lloyd..." She hit him.

[*]

Viceroy's Palace: Bartley and Clovis .

"Your Highness, how do you think he intend to get away?"

"Honestly? I do not know, but I know that Gottwald will not like finding out."

[*]

And now, back to the real stage. Jeremiah was startled for a moment before he recomposed himself. "I've seen enough Accelerator! This little show of yours is over!" He fired into the air and the team of Sutherlands dropped from the sky and surrounded the false car. The esper didn't even flinch as the wind blew his cape back, his only response at the order to remove the mask was a little tilting of the head.

"I don't think so. Instead I believe you will release the prisoner and let us go." His tone was commanding, the clear hint that what seemed a suggestion was actually an order.

"Like hell." The Margrave spat, the apparent calm of the rebel was beginning to get on his nerves. "He's charged with high treason for harming a prince and killing his entire personal staff! I can't hand him over."

Lelouch tilted his head again. "Well, if so then I'm confused." He lowered both arms and with slow and measured steps come down from the roof of the car and began to advance towards them. The barrels of the Sutherland's rifles moved in sync to keep him into aim. "If he is guilty, then who were the men I killed that day in Shinjuku?" He stopped about ten meters away and lifted up his head to meet the gaze of the Margrave. "Who was it I threatened to death so that he ordered the retreat?" He raised both hands as if to embrace the whole world. Or as if to make a puzzling statement. "Yes, tell me Jeremiah Gottwald: if I'm responsible for the crimes Kururugi is accused, why you have arrested him in my place?" The masked one proudly announced thereby shocking all those who were listening around the world. The crowds flinched back while the Knightmares moved to surround Lelouch, a choice that will not prove to be a wise one.

Jeremiah's blood began to boil. The true culprit, he had no doubt about it, had revealed himself right before him! Now he could finally fulfill his duty. "Then you have pronounced yourself guilty, scum!" He prepared to give the order to arrest the masked figure.

"Release Kururugi and let us go." Lelouch interrupted him, now completely serious and with his arms folded over his chest again. "This is both an order and advice for your wellbeing and that of your men."

'That's it!' The blue haired man thought, sick to the core of the other's irreverence. 'Do you want to die here and now that badly? Fine!' "On second thought a trial is wasted on trash like you. Men, take aim!" The four Sutherlands focus on Lelouch. "Do you have any last word?"

He shook his head. "An unwise choice."

"I agree. Fire!" The Assault Rifles fired simultaneously releasing a torrent of high-speed bullets, a lethal storm of destruction that encased Accelerator and strike _true_! In the same instant all the spectator, except a certain Witch, became aware of the obvious result.

The next instant all the four Knightmares exploded, shredded by the very bullets shot from their own weapons. The ejection systems kicked in and the cockpits were sent far away to safety.

Everyone froze, unable to understand what has just happened. And it was not an unreasonable confusion. Their very universe had just gone horribly _wrong_. The crackling of the Knightmares on fire, the rotation of the VTOLs's blades, the breath of the wind, despite all this they were encased in a frozen silence. A silence that was broken when Accelerator spoke again. His low tone sounded like a shotgun blast for all involved.

"I was talking about you, buffoon." He lifted a hand to massage his neck. Suddenly he leaped forward with a impossible speed toward Jeremiah's Knightmare, right hand outstretched. The glove touched metal and the legs were _ripped off_, causing the hull to collapse to the ground. The Margrave ended up thrown out of the cockpit and landed badly on the concrete, too stunned to react. Without stopping Lelouch stomped on the ground creating a ramp that stretched up to where Suzaku was and spat out pieces of asphalt that struck the two guards on the sides stunning them, leaving the bewildered boy unharmed.

Villetta was the first to recover; she pointed her rifle with the barrel a few inches from the esper's head and fired. The rifle and the arm wielding it exploded. Unfazed he reached over and touched with the tip of his fingers the robot. In an instant the entire map of the vectors operating within the machine printed itself in his mind, from the core power to the mechanical joints.

He _twisted_ them and the Sutherland was _wrecked from the inside_, pieces of metal flying everywhere Villetta's cockpit was demolished, knocking out the poor woman. Lelouch quietly continued to advance.

Kewell at the sight of his companions being defeated so easily tossed away his weapon and screaming threw a fist at the black haired prince. When the two made contact his Sutherland suffered the same fate of Villetta's own. The esper did not even pause to take notice of this.

"Aahh, aahh...Fire! Fire!" Someone cried and the remaining soldiers opened fire with their machine guns, faces distorted with terror and despair. And truly it was a move born form desperation because many bullets missed him and those who hit him were sent back. After the sixth time a soldier fell to the ground wounded one of his companions evidently snapped because he grabbed a rocket launcher and aimed it at Lelouch.

"Hahaha! Die Eleven scum! Hahaha!" Laughing and crying at the same time he pulled the trigger and the projectile flew towards Accelerator. Who raised his hand and _caught it in mid-air_. But it was enough to trigger the explosive. With a mighty roar it exploded engulfing the esper with flames hot enough to melt steel and destroying everything within a radius of five meters. Even after the explosion the flames continued to burn, thanks to the special mixture capable of destroying a Sixth Generation Knightmare and killing the pilot at the same time, obscuring the view.

"That was overkill, you know?" If a brief spark of hope was born in someone those words killed it instantly.

It wasn't possible. It _should_ not be possible. And yet once again the reality of the world had been replaced by something _alien_.

A figure stepped forward. Even in the middle of flames that must have been a few thousand degrees he was standing in a completely normal and natural way. The fire was burning around him and yet the only thing that seemed to influence him was the cape behind moving in the air propelled by the hot air. He waved his hand and the flames seemed to respond to the movement. A small ball formed in his palm and then faded away when he clenched his hand.

A sudden realization rammed on them: _He_ was on a different level. He was past the level where you thought about how to take him on or that you might win if a miracle occurred. They felt that facing him would be like firing a gun towards a mountain.

Their minds could not take that. Breaking in screams unbefitting of Britannian soldiers they ran away leaving Accelerator and Suzaku alone. The esper continued to advance until he stood in front of the pale boy, he grabbed the collar and _crushed_ it, throwing away the pieces. Passing an arm under the shoulder of the other he helped him up.

"Stop!"

Lelouch sighed. He turned back his head and, for real, Jeremiah Gottwald was there, bruised and with a gun pointed at him. "C'mon, you know it will not work. What's the point?"

"My honor..." He hissed between gritted teeth. "My honor prevents me from retiring before an enemy! Even if he is a damn _monster_ like you!"

"Then do it." A shot echoed. The Margrave fell to the ground holding his right shoulder. "Truly you are a great man. It's a shame you waste your talent serving such a worthless master. I advise you to revise your expectations before falling into an abyss of no return. Just be glad that the first unsurpassable obstacle you've ever met is someone merciful like me."

"But you..." He managed to scream despite the pain. "...who the hell are you?"

"Who am I?" He repeated amused. "I am the One-Way Road. I am the harbinger of ruin. I am a terror unknown to mankind. I am a spirit of vengeance born from the prayers of the oppressed.

I'm the man who will _destroy_ Britannia!" He declared turning to the camera, a voice full of charisma. "The burning flames of retribution will cleanse this corrupt nation of thieves and murderers! The enslaved will be freed, the slavers punished and this world will know once more _justice_!" He swept his cape. "Because..." His next words will become famous. Better, infamous.

"_**NOTHING CAN STOP THE ACCELERATOR!**_"

[*]

**C.C.: What a show-off.**

**Lelouch: Say what you want, it worked.**

**Milly: Maybe too well: poor Rivalz is unconscious .**

**Lelouch: What happened?**

**Milly: He shouted something like "AWESOMENESS OVERLOAD!" and then passed out.**


	11. Chapter 9: Diverging Paths

**I'm back! Sorry for the delay guys, real life can be a bitch someday.**

**WarChild: Shirou Emiya? We have already Suzaku as wannabe superhero, one utopian dreamer is more than enough. The White Devil? Maybe...as a rival for Anya? Beam Spammer VS Beam Spammer? Beam-O-War Up to Eleven?**

**Bismarck is Crazy Awesome. Too bad his reflexes are only human.**

**Oh yes, the Dark Side of Academy City is coming for you. Britannian Army VS Espers. How much they will underestimate them?**

**ReinZero: IS and FMP? Good. Kore wa Zombie Desu ka? Not so much: sorry, but that is a supernatural too weird even for my standard.**

**Super Robot Wars. Great suggestion.**

**ADD Kyuubi Naruto: Don't like? Don't read.**

**Amitakartok: Nothing specific yet but I will keep your offer in mind.**

**Heavenly Observer: No, no, it'll be still VERY humiliating for the opponent. And that's why I'll use it without restraints! *evil laugh***

**Tomu Shirasagi? We need smart people. Gendo _King__of__Jerks _Ikari? If we include him we will have Keel Lorenz in the Britannian side. Sarutobi? For the lulz I'll do it.**

**Geass users produce AIM? It's a secret.**

**chronodekar: he is not unstoppable, I fully intend to avoid Mary Sue traits. Lelouch has weakness, you'll see the most severe in this chapter. Yes, he is a teenager with superpowers, but he is also a teenager with serious psychological issues. And who said that the level of the enemies is the same as the anime? You make Shinji Ikari a Jedi? You must give the Angels the Death Star.**

**Yes, _It__Got__Worse_.**

**Kumoatsu: Again: don't like? Don't read.**

**chaosglory626: I'm trying to avoid Mary/Gary Stu, the story simply has not yet entered into the heart of the events. Things will become difficult in the future. I can guarantee that.**

**Nice to see another Type-Moon fan. Oh yes, I know Zelretch very well: maybe I'll use him, I'm not sure yet.**

**DIVERGING PATHS**

[*]

"_**NOTHING CAN STOP THE ACCELERATOR!"**_

Words held power. Words spoken by someone who in the eyes of those present is like a god even more so. Jeremiah fell silent, the whirlpool of contrasting emotions like rage, hate, fear and despair inside him too strong to allow normal thought processes. No one else dared to go in his stead. Lelouch smiled at what a great achievement he accomplished on this night, finally a flaw appeared in the armor of Britannia. It was only the tip of the iceberg for now, yes, but it was also just the beginning.

With a quick glance he spotted Kallen who got out the car, speechless, gazing at him with her jaw threatening to hit the ground.

'Uh-oh, she will definitely want an explanation. Fortunately, this success should be enough to quell any concerns she has. Now, let the curtain fall!'

"Hold on. And don't let go." He said to Suzaku before grabbing him around the waist with his arm and jumping. The Japanese boy, luckily for him, instinctively obeyed. It was like leaping a fence, a fence ten meters high and twice as wide. Tracing a perfect arc in the sky the esper landed with a soft 'Thud!' before the redhead who before she could react found herself grabbed by the waist from Lelouch's other arm. "Time to go." His only warning before jumping again, this time off the bridge. Below an old civilian MR-1 with Ohgi in it fired its Slash Harkens to span a net to break their fall. The cloth ripped and dropped them above a train car that immediately moved for the ghetto. Ignoring the still shaken Suzaku and the shocked Kallen the fallen prince turned to see the retreating bridge and the chaos he helped create.

'Now that I think about it this was my first public action. I always kept at low profile, leaving the public spot to people like Misaka-san and Gunha-kun. Granted, now I'm a terrorist but I'll have to get used to speaking to the crowds. Who I can ask for advice on this? Milly?

...No, I risk attracting weird people.

…...I didn't just jinx myself, right?'

[*]

Later, inside a room of an abandoned theater in the ghetto.

"FREAKING SUPERPOWERS? All that talk and mysterious 'work' and you have _freaking __superpowers_?"

Lelouch cursed the fact that with the mask he could not even cover his ears. He raised a hand to ask for silence.

"First: Tamaki, shut up. You're breaking the ears of everyone. Second: you're turning purple so calm down before having a heart attack. Third: Kururugi." He turned to Suzaku. "Come with me: we must talk. Alone!" He raised his hand again toward the resistance members. "Whatever questions you may have can wait few more minutes." And with that said he left with Suzaku following. Two seconds of silence and then all hell broke loose.

"Did you see..._that_?"

"That Knightmare...he touched it and then it _exploded_!"

"A rocket exploded in his face and he didn't even _flinch_! What kind of monster is he?"

"That's it..." Ohgi murmured. Everyone faced his way. "It is what he was talking about earlier: to make Britannia fall...he himself is the power we need to make this dream a reality. The Empire has always won thanks to its technological superiority, not by force of numbers. No one else could have pulled this off. Not the Japanese Liberation Front, and certainly not me. We always assumed an all-out war against Britannia wasn't an option, but with him _it __is_." He stated in what almost seemed like a monologue. "I don't know what _exactly _he used, but is something not even Britannia's great pride stands a chance against."

Someone tried to express doubts again, but Kallen was not listening to them anymore. She had long since ceased to do so, from the time when, without anyone noticing it, she had followed Lamperouge and Kururugi after they left, being careful not to be seen. In her mind the events of not even an hour ago kept repeating: Lelouch in an apparently suicidal move confronted the military, Lelouch _wrecked_ Knightmares bare handed, Lelouch who is struck again and again with heavy artillery and come out unscathed...

'And I threatened a guy like that with a _knife_?' Kallen was a practical person, not prone to fantasies. Her reality sat upon a bedrock of universal laws, one of which being that an unarmed person versus a small army dies, no ifs and no buts. And yet the individual named Lelouch Lamperouge (assuming that was his real name) continued to reshape her world with his actions. Its existence eluded any possible form of classification.

If so why she was chasing him? Doubt? Fear?

Or it was _curiosity _guiding her actions? Yes, Kallen was a practical person, the others might as well waste time speculating.

She decided to act.

[*]

The auditorium of the theater: the ceiling and a wall had collapsed, every inch of space was occupied by debris and dust, and yet the old building still retained a majestic aura, a relic of a past both near and far away at the same time.

Accelerator was sitting atop a mountain of rubble. Suzaku stood below and opposite him. It was like a king who gave audience to a vassal. The irony of it was not lost to Lelouch.

"It looks like they've treated you rather roughly." He stated matter of fact.

"...What are you?" Kururugi sounded cold, but his anxiety was nearly palpable.

"Classified information." He answered with an almost playful tone, not noticing Kallen hiding behind a pillar. He rose and stood proudly. "If you want to know this and much more, join me. Since this is the reason I rescued you. To free an innocent from injustice and give you the chance to fight for freedom, not oppression." He extended his right hand toward the boy.

Suzaku looked at him, his eyes filled with disdain. "So is it true? Are you the one that assaulted prince Clovis and killed his advisers?"

"We are at war Kururugi, despite many claims the opposite. I simply delivered appropriate punishment to scum who ordered the massacre of innocent civilians without hesitation. The fault of the people of Shinjuku was only being in the wrong place at the wrong time. They got in the way of Britannia simply because they lived in the only one place where they were allowed to stay."

"Appropriate punishment?" He spat angrily. "When they tried to make me sign a confession they show me the photos: it was a _massacre_! You could not even distinguish a body from the other. I nearly throw up. They were human beings and you slaughtered them like animals!"

"The same the soldiers did to the residents." Lelouch hissed with venom. "Do you know what bullets built to pierce Knightmare armor do to normal people? I do, because I was _t__here_. Perhaps you missed it, but the order was to leave no one alive. Women, children and the elderly were killed there for no reasons like cattle to the slaughter. Worse, some were _enjoying _it. Had I not intervened then there would not have been a single survivor. Say what you want, my actions _saved_ people! And for the officers there is a line where, once crossed, one ceases to be a person and become _trash_. Trash which I merely _removed_!" He held out a hand and waved with force.

"Their nation would have never condemned them. Indeed, they would have be given a promotion for handling skillfully a terrorist thread and saving innocent lives. Innocent _Britannian_ lives. Because everyone knows that if you're not born in the homeland you're not human, right? Look at this!" He gestured to the theater and the city. "This was once a proud nation, with millennia of history. Who valued both progress and tradition in equal measure, because they knew the past is but the pillar that supports the future. This was, no _is_ your nation!" He pointed at Suzaku who flinched. "And now it is but a specter, ravaged and raped by an equally old country that instead never learned one fundamental virtue: _respect_." He held out his hand again. "Join me. Stop this madness. I swore to save this country. Instead of getting your hands wet with the blood of your kin help me rescue them from this Hell on Earth which is become their life."

Suzaku clenched his hands and bend his head. He remained so for what seem hours until he rose again and answered loudly and clearly.

"That was a nice speech, but you are ruthless. What you say may be true, but…but this nation, it can be changed for the better! And from within!"

Lelouch seemed at a loss of words, but then spoke again. "It that something the son of the former Japanese Prime Minister Genbu Kururugi should say? Your father must be turning in his grave right now."

Every word was filled with vitriol and, Kallen thought, envy? 'Envy of what? No, first of all: this Kururugi was...? For real?' Her hands clenched so strong blood began to drip. 'Does this traitor know no shame?'

Suzaku blanched. "How...?"

"My network is vast, Kururugi, and I know of things you cannot even begin to imagine. You speak of changing this nation from the inside but you don't even know half of the foes you will need to face. Try and they will smash your head like a poisonous snake. I will not deny some Britannians share your way of thinking but they are persecuted in the same manner. And why should they persist when their only reward is scorn from their country, from their friends, even from their family? Death and discrimination are the only fruits this path can bring.

So I ask again: join me. Build a better future."

"..." Suzaku gritted his teeth. "Maybe you are right, but I don't care. I will help Japan, and I'll do it the right way. Any ends gained through contemptible means aren't worth anything." He said coldly, with a finalized tone leaving no room for debate.

Those words seemed to froze Lelouch. "_What_?" Was the only word he muttered in a disbelieving voice.

Suzaku turned away and began walking toward the hole in the wall. "My court martial begins in an hour. I would try to bring you in, but you would kill me even before I can move."

But the esper was not listening anymore: every sense to the outside world was shut down. Instead, various memories began to play before his eyes.

[*]

_Night. A simple street devoid of people save for three figures. On the ground, unconscious, lay a boy with spiked hair. Another boy with brilliant purple eyes stands before him, protecting him from the Japanese woman with the long sword._

"_Shut up, you amateur!" She yelled. "Don't talk as if you know! We did our best! We did all we could! We spent all spring, all summer, all fall, all winter! We made a promise so that she wouldn't forget the memories we created! We gave her a diary and an album to keep inside her heart!_

_...But in the end, it was useless. When reading the diary, when looking at the album's photos...all she could say was 'I'm sorry'. Even so, we continued to make new memories, but in the end, it kept on repeating. Memories of her family, her friends, her lovers, all of them were reset to zero. We couldn't endure it anymore. We couldn't bear to see her smile anymore."_

"_Because what is living right now is better, right? RIGHT?" He yelled in return. "Don't give me that crap! You're just cowards! You believed the nonsense of your church, keep on searching for a solution for a problem that was a lie from the beginning and when it was too much you give up! She forgot, but at least she was happy. How could she not be, with two wonderful friends who remained by her side despite her memory loss?_

_And __you _betrayed _her: __when __the __pain __was __too __much __to __bear __you __choose __the __easy __way. __Instead __of __continuing __to __suffer __to __make __her __feel __better __you __abandoned __her, __you __HUNTED __her __thinking __'If __losing __good __memories __is __so __painful __then __is __better __to __not __have __them __from __the __beginning'!_

_This is nothing more than your twisted sense of self-righteousness! Bastard! You called yourself a 'Saint'? You're just a sinner trying to justify your actions!" He leaps toward her._

"_I will show you, with these blood-drenched hands and a true hero by my side, HOW I WILL SAVE HER!_

[*]

"_In exchange for your sister's safety you will step forth into the deeper darkness of the world. Are you okay with that?" The frog faced doctor ask the ten years old boy while they watch the boy's sister sleep, tired from the rehabilitation to recover use of her legs after the surgery to heal the damage._

_The boy didn't hesitate with his answer. "Yes." He turned to look at him in the eyes. "To protect this person I will do anything. Anything. Every type of pain and sin is worth enduring if it is for her._

_I...will never be weak again!"_

[*]

"_By your standards...a person is worth about 7 million right?" Accelerator asked.._

"_...Eh?" 'No way?' The man's lips started to tremble._

_As if to confirm his worst case assumption, the esper continue. "I've paid already, so there's no problem in slaughtering you now, right?"_

_Five minutes later. Lelouch kicked a piece of flesh with the tip of his shoes. He's completely unhurt: as long as his ability is active, he can reflect any attack. He pulled out a cellphone, input a number and bring the phone to his ears._

"_It's over. Huh? What is needed now? That's right, a recovery crew to tidy up this piece of trash that makes me sick just smelling what's left of him. Also,"_

_At this point, Accelerator paused slightly and look at the battered girl still hanging from the ceiling. He moves his fingers slightly and the chains binding the girl are cut off inexplicably._

"_...Also, a set of woman's clothing. The size? Average middle school girl. And send only women as part of the recovery crew. If there's a single male in the team I'll kick his fucking balls apart."_

_After ordering what he needed, he hung up the phone. Then he grabs the bundles of cash on the table and throw it towards the girl that fell to the ground. The esper didn't bother to turn and look at her. He moved towards the exit and spoke in an indifferent tone while doing so:_

"_Live freely from now on. For the rest of your life, whether it is a success or failure is up to your own efforts."_

"_..."_

_The girl that showed no reaction up to this point finally moved her neck slowly towards Accelerator's silhouette. Her lips were trembling, and almost as if talking to herself managed to ask,_

"_You are...?"_

"_A Villain."_

_Accelerator pushed the doors apart, and answered in a cold voice._

"_A Villain that's no better than a piece of shit."_

"_...Thanks." Is all she could say before closing her eyelids again and falling asleep. The black haired boy didn't answer. Instead he stepped forward and left the room._

[*]

"_It's all my fault." Lelouch said kneeling and bowing to the two identical girls, just outside the hospital room of a certain spiked haired boy. "The experiment was initially designed for me. But I refused it without even listen to the details. If only I had read it none of this would never have happened. Ten thousand 'Sisters' died because of my carelessness._

_Do what you want. Take my life if you like. I deserve it."_

"_Jeez." Misaka Mikoto sigh. "You're an even bigger idiot than him. Tell me, why did you refuse to take part in the experiment?"_

"_Because I don't need it. I don't need the power of a Level 6. Whatever the pinnacle of my strength is I will reach it with my own efforts."_

"_And this is why, even if I hate to admit it, you're the best. Rise!" She grabbed his arm and pulled him to his feet ignoring his confused expression. "I too was at fault when I gave them my DNA. Plus I did...less that honorable things trying to stop it myself. And I'm sure you were willing to do even worse._

_But you know what that idiot said to me? To be proud of the birth of the 'Sisters'. The whole experiment was wrong but without it the Sisters would never have been born in the first place. The same to you: if it's not for you, the experiment wouldn't have started. I read that 'Radio Noise' was just a mere unproductive hypothesis until you came into the picture. It's because you're always, always trying so hard to surpass your limit that they saw a value in it. So you should be proud._

_Beside," She grins. "If I kill you how I could face your sister? My little kouhai can be pretty scary when her 'Onii-sama' is involved."_

"_Misaka agrees with 'Onee-sama', says Misaka honestly." Spoke Misaka Imouto. "You too were ready to risk your life for Misaka, even if Misaka is only an imitation. Misaka is not sure, but Misaka thinks you and him are different, yet similar. So..." She bowed._

"_Thank you, said Misaka with gratitude."_

[*]

Suzaku paused one last time. "Still, I thank you, for resc...Argh!" He began to say turning, before a black blur slammed into him and he found himself pinned to the floor, the figure of Accelerator standing atop him with the fingers of his left hand clenched around the Japanese boy's neck. Suzaku didn't even have the chance to use his military training before a murderous aura so thick the air itself seemed to burn paralyzed him.

"_You __little, __dirty __CUR!_" Lelouch hissed increasing the pressure. His voice has changed: now it could only be compared to the horrible screech of metal nails grinding against a blackboard. The voice distortion device only served to make it more like the voice of a demon out of hell than the one of a human. "Any ends gained through contemptible means aren't worth anything? Then it is fine to let a robber take hostages if you're a civilian, because is the right thing to do to let the policemen do it, because is supposed to be their job? It is fine to let a family starve to death in the grip of a usurer because it was a legal transaction and there is no proof he did anything illegal?

It is fine to tell the victims of a dictatorial regime to do nothing and bear with it, because the right thing to do is change the system itself with _pacifistic __methods_?" He began to tremble. "Is that what you tell people when they send you on a mission to oppress the public? 'Please, stop fighting and go back to be oppressed. Violence doesn't solve anything. I'm working to change the system for the better. It'll take years and I will probably fail, but it is okay because it is the right method and any result gained through contemptible means isn't worth anything? So please, _bear __with __it_?

ARE. YOU. FUCKING. KIDDING. ME?" He screamed with all his strength, his face behind the mask horribly distorted from rage. "Are you so eager to kick the bucket? Fine!" He raised his right hand that has destroyed a Knightmare with a simple touch. Suzaku's eyes widened in horror. Kallen suppressed a gasp.

"Drown in your ideals, Kururugi Suzaku," He thrust his hand toward the boy's face. "And die!"

Suzaku closed his eyes, the death and atonement he searched for so long finally here. Kallen looked away, unable to bear the spectacle. Lelouch was about to touch his friend's face

'_Ah, __that's __right, __he __is __my __friend...'_

And stopped abruptly, mere millimeters separating the tips of his fingers and Kururugi's noise. Against all of his will a sickening sense of horror overwhelmed all rational thoughts. His vision blurred and he saw people _who __shouldn't __be __there_.

Before him stood a younger Suzaku, his first friend.

Before him stood his step-sister Euphemia, his first love.

Before him stood a smiling Nunnally, the most important person in his life.

Before him stood the corpse of _his__mother_, riddled with bullets. Albeit dead her blood-stained face turned toward him: she glared at him with lifeless, dull eyes and moved her lips. No sound came out, but he heard it nonetheless. They were words filled with accusation and grudge.

_**...You killed me...**_

"Aaarghh!" He let go of Suzaku and crawled away. "Ha...ha..." His breathing was heavy, his now-paled face covered in sweat and his hearth-pulse skyrocketed. The mental pain was almost physical.

This is the greatest weakness of Lelouch Lamperouge, the Level 5 'Accelerator': he is absolutely unable to hurt people to which he shared an emotional bond. The same reaction manifest when those same persons are injured before his eyes.

Said state _utterly_ and _completely _inhibits his vector control, leaving him unable do defend himself until he manage to calm down. A feat not achievable in a short amount of time, even if this was only a light crisis. Kururugi could use this opportunity to capture Accelerator or outright kill him with ease. Fortunately for our 'hero' the Japanese boy was too shocked to be able to think coherently. "What...what was..."

"Go!" The esper yelled, his back turned, ignoring the searing pain in his chest which he gripped hard enough to leave marks. "I don't need filthy scum like you! You're nothing more of a traitor, a betrayer of both your land and your family: even the ones who deceive for money are more honorable that you! Get out of my sight! Leave the military, leave this country and live like a fugitive for the rest of your pathetic life! Because the next time I see you..." He turned his head, and Suzaku would later swear he saw a pair of red eyes shinning through the mask.

"..._I __will __kill __you_." He whispered. The certainty in his voice was absolute, as much a tangible and inarguable as a mountain. It was not a promise: it was a natural consequence of their next meeting. Like the sun will always rise again, Kururugi Suzaku will die if he meets Accelerator again. The teen understood that. Trembling he rose to his feet and began to back away. "Go!" Lelouch screamed again and the boy turned around and fled. The esper waited until he was out of sight before letting himself go and falling to his knees.

"Lel...Accelerator!" Kallen called coming out of her hide, rushing toward him, kneeling and supporting him by the shoulders. "What's wrong? Hey!" With a trembling hand he reached for the mask and touched a hidden button. The back opened with a 'Hiss!' and the object fell to the ground, allowing the esper to breathe easily. After a few minutes he recovered sufficient strength to speak again.

"Psychological trauma." He muttered.

"What?"

"Don't ask. Please. It's too painful." A pause. "You know, he was a friend of mine." Kallen's eyebrows rose. "Before the war. We had our differences, but he was always the one to help inexperienced little me out of trouble. For years I feared him to be dead. For years I felt guilty for what my birthplace did to his." He put his hands on her shoulders. "Another of my _failures_. I wanted to make amends. To try to fix it in some way." He tried to strengthen his grip, but it was so weak Kallen hardly noticed it.

"And now...now I find this _mockery _of him! How can he say something so outrageous? For the future of many, isn't it worth casting one's self into damnation? Isn't worth it if after my crimes people are happy and I pay for them? Such absolute ideals...how can they be worth something if they forbid you to save even a single life if it isn't done properly?

How can he betray everything definite his existence for them? I'm not better, but at least I don't make excuses! I know what I'm doing is wrong, but isn't worth if...if at the end it brings a smile to someone's face, even if it's only a single person?" His voice was almost pleading, like he was asking some superior existence to tell him he wasn't wrong.

In that moment Kallen understood. She has seen Lelouch Lamperouge, the genius student and secret rebel. She has seen Accelerator, the fearless leader, the brilliant strategist and the superhuman champion. She thought he was invincible.

He was not. Because, in the end, he was just a human like her. With the same weakness, with the same fears. And he is _right_. Without even thinking she hugged him.

"It is worth. You aren't wrong: he is." She spoke in a soothing voice. "For the moment I accepted to fight I was ready to put my life, and my conscience, on the line. To take back what I have lost." 'Even if some things will never come back...' "You choose this path because you believed it was the right thing to do. And it is. Don't listen to him: he is just as you said, a traitor without honor or human dignity.

It hurt, I know, but know this: even if he doesn't believe in you anymore, I do. And Ohgi. And everyone else. Heck, even Tamaki: he didn't say it but I'm sure he thinks you were awesome back there.

You promised, didn't you? To destroy Britannia. Are you going to go back on your words?"

"...No." With a fluid motion Lelouch picked the mask, put on it again and stood. There were no more traces of hesitation. "I will not run away. I _killed_ that weak side of mine, and it will stay dead. Thank you, Kallen." He helped her to her feet. "He isn't the person I used to know, so I owe him nothing."

Kallen nodded. "Shall we go back? They will all wondering what we are doing."

"Yeah...Oh!" A sudden idea to dispel the gloominess sprang into Lelouch's brain. "Do you want to laugh a little?"

"Eh?" She asked confused. The esper smirked.

[*]

"...And another thing." Tamki continued. "Who says he doesn't fuel his power by draining others life and we're just his stockpile?"

"Well, I'm not a vampire if is what you're suggesting." A voice interjected from behind him, where the redhead was sure there was no one until a moment ago. "You, on the other hand, watch too much anime."

"HOLY SHIT!" Tamaki screamed in a suspiciously unmanly pitch. All eyes turned and met the figure of Accelerator apparently appeared from nowhere in the middle of the room. Unseen Kallen slipped back into the room from the door, suppressing her laughter. It was a simple trick actually: warping the light around himself to prevent people from seeing him. The eyes see only what is struck from the photons and release a color which they register. If something isn't hit from light it cannot be seen. And for the rumors...well, Lelouch knew how to make himself noiseless. How many times he used this trick for work and to make pranks?

And no, he never listened to Aogami and his suggestions to peep inside the girls changing room.

"Cool down, guys. You're so nervous you didn't even notice when I came back." He said with mirth plastered all over his face.

"But how, what, when..." Tamaki stuttered, unable to follow the fast events.

"What happened to Kururugi?" Ohgi asked.

'He recovered quickly' Lelouch thought. 'He is a good leader.' He shook his head. "I offered him to join us. He refused." Instantly outrage appeared on everyone's face. "Forget about him. If he is wise enough he will never cross our path again. If he isn't...you can kill him on the spot without remorse." A spike of pain stabbed him in the chest. He suppressed it. "He is no longer a proud Japanese, just another Britannian dog."

"Okay, but...Accelerator. You said you will explain things to us." A bespectacled male with purple hair, Yoshitaka Minami, asked.

"About me, right?" He pointed to his head with the thumb and the index finger in the shape of a pistol. "Human experiments." Shocked faces. "I'm 100% human being, _Homo __Sapiens_, whatever you want. But I was subjected to procedures aimed to unlock...let's call it latent human potential. It's all in my brain and a talent that is only mine. I was ten, eleven at the time." Even grater shock. "There is an age limit, it doesn't work on individuals past a certain point in their development. And I spent another seven years training before fully mastering it."

"It was...a Britannian experiment?" Kallen inquired.

"Don't know. Unlikely though. The scientists were all of mixed nationality. I was just abducted one day and fed only the minimal information required to progress in my training. Until I was strong enough to kill them all and escape. There were other survivors, subjects like me, but honestly I don't know were they are now. The only other thing I remember is that there are supposed to be people naturally born with those powers, but they are rare as hen's teeth."

Ohgi gulped. "I...see. So, what are your abilities?"

"Besides what you have already seen? Sorry, but it is one of the questions I cannot answer. Yet." He added to stop their objections. "Like I said I could, and would not show all of my cards from the start. I'm not invincible, despite what you may think, and this is hardly the proper time and place to discuss topics so important. There are many things I have yet to reveal, all of them crucial to our future plans."

"I trust you." Kallen declared. "All of us should. He already proved he can be trustworthy so the least when can do in return is give him back some of it."

"Thank you Kallen." Some had still reservations, but the majority nodded in consent. Lelouch smiled. 'Yes, tonight was not a complete failure.'

[*]

C.C. looked up when she heard the door open. "Welcome back Lelouch. I saw the news, so I would guess congratulations are in order, if it isn't for the fact Kururugi showed up for his trial."

"Yes, he said he want to change Britannia from within." Lelouch replied with a stoic but disapproving expression. Anger was the enemy.

The green-haired immortal didn't bat an eye. "He and ten million others."

"Using the _right_ methods. Because ends gained through _contemptible_ means aren't worth anything." He added sarcastically.

A short snort was the girl's reply to that. "Your friend is either an idiot or a idealist. Probably both. Hell, there isn't even so much of a difference to begin with. If he doesn't change soon he will die."

"Yeah." The esper sit down on the couch, watching the news discussing his rescue. "I nearly killed him myself."

C.C stared at him. "You didn't have the guts to kill an old friend of yours?"

He didn't move his eyes, and replied bluntly. "Yes."

The immortal witch blinked. Two. Three times. "Wow. I don't know if I should laugh or compliment you for your honesty."

"Do what you want. I already told you I have no intention of being a hypocrite. If it helps keep me humble I will swallow my pride and acknowledge my shortcomings. Just so you know I told the others to kill him if they find him on a battlefield."

"You will not try to persuade him?"

"There are many things I can forgive." He gritted his teeth. "Forsaking lives for the sake of a pure ideal is _not _one of those. If he wants salvation he will have to find it himself."

"..." C.C. didn't reply. Honestly, what there is to reply in such a case? So she changed topics. "That redhead, Kallen Kozuki."

"Yes?"

"I'm interested in her. As a contractor."

Lelouch sighed. " Make sure you explain exactly what she would face before. She is an extraordinary pilot and I need her. I will also need to reveal the existence of Geass to the others if we want to fight against the Geass Order and the likes. Boys, can I blame them if they think they have fallen inside a poorly-written anime?"

"Not really." The green haired girl giggled, picking up a piece of pizza and handing it to Lelouch. "Do you want some?"

Lelouch raised an eyebrow. "Should I worry?"

[*]

"An interesting show." A small figure with long blonde hair commented.

"Mmmh." Charles Zi Britannia, 98th emperor of the Holy Britannian Empire, mused. "Yes, it was. An Old Weapon?"

"I'm not sure. I've never heard of one so little it can be concealed on a human body. Unless it was something used from a distance and choreographed perfectly. How will you deal with this chaos?"

"I will send Cornelia, she just finished in the Middle East, and the Knight of Twelve, investigations are her area of expertise."

"Excellent choice. I will sneak some of my men into the team. I want to study this...Accelerator before it falls into others hands."

"Do you think the EU and the CF will both move?"

"I would be surprised if they didn't. They're greedy." The figure smirked. "Like us."

"Indeed, brother." Charles replied amused.

[*]

**Lelouch: Son of a gun!**

**Suzaku: Remove this madman from me! Wait a minute, is that a corkscrew? Help! Why is nobody helping me?**

**Rivalz: Ssshh! We are awaiting reviews. Plus the author said he will try a Fate/Extra fanfic as a side-project and he is hoping with this message to encourage beta-readers to help him.**

**Suzaku: It doesn't even make senseeeeEEEEAAAARRGGHH!**

**Lelouch: Feel divine justice!**


	12. Chapter 10: Aftermaths 1

**It's been a while, eh? Time to go back to work.**

**Sky Sephyrus: You did see a FSN reference, I'm a huge Type-Moon fan. The Lelouch of my fic is a person afflicted with chronic psychological problems (your mother is killed before your eyes when you were ten years old, your father casted you away, you're raised by a bunch of amoral mad scientists to be a perfect human weapon and you're telling me you are normal?) and used to violence. Suzaku's declaration is a slap to the face of all his convictions and efforts, but most of all the older Suzaku is nothing like the younger Suzaku of his memories, so is more easy to treat him as a stranger.**

**Chaosglory626: True, true. For Lelouch's weakness...why, to balance things you don't have to strictly weaken the hero, you can also strengthen the villains!**

**MisterSP: Much more. Much, much more. This will reach the same heights of awesomeness of Gurren Lagann.**

**AJ Katon: Thank you. This is exactly what I was hoping to convey: you can have dreams, but you can't pretend the world goes the way you want.**

**ReinZero: Things will go wrong for Lelouch. If not this fic would be just an horrible Mary-Sue monstrosity. Maybe, like I had occasion to observe, is a Like it or Hate it' fic, but nothing more. I write to entertain people, not to annoy them.**

**Neozangetsu: I completely agree with you. Archer, and Shirou, always tried to save everybody, regardless if they are capable or not. Their ideals are not wrong, but I always feel they don't use their heads. They don't think and just blindly change on. And they insist of doing it alone. Seriously, there is a reason if all the most famous Heroes of Justice like Power Rangers, Kamen Rider, the various mecha works and more works alongside others. 'United we stand, divided we fall', or something like that.**

**Unlimited Blade Works: Maybe I'll include a Zelretch cameo. Maybe.**

**Watcherinthevoid: A great fic. It's in my favorites.**

**MM Browsing: TAMNI girls are for Touma. At least in regard of romantic relationships. Which don't include Last Order and Misaka WORST. For the awakening: not bad, I'll consider it. To awaken you also need to undergo a personal growth, a revelation important enough to have an influence in the way the user lives his life. Lelouch will not gain dual skill. For the anti-matter and EMP...I am not sure, I need to review my knowledge of physics.**

**Orchamus: Thank you very much. I am even more motivate now.**

**Ultimabloodblade: No, it wasn't intentional, but I admint you are right, GARcher was and is always one of my favorite character.**

**Slayer End: Wow, if it is the case I have to do even more my best from now on. I know of the grammar and I'm working with beta reader to correct it piece to piece.**

**Windle: Don't like it? Don't read and ignore me. Offensive non-produttive comments like yours show only how your only pastime is makes people look worse so you can look better.**

**AFTERMATHS 1**

* * *

_Middle East_

The wind howled furiously, twirling the sand into vortexes which ran randomly across the surface of what was once the Riyadh Province of the Middle Eastern Federation. The war against the Britannian Empire had been long and hard, but finally the end is near. Granted, the MEF was essentially giving away the land, given that one of the conditions for the imminent fusion with the Euro Universe was to cease the war with Britannia. Not that it was a great loss: the oil deep beneath the sands was useless in a world which run on Sakuradite and the majority of the territory was just a plain desert. Yet, direct orders from the Emperor were issued to claim this new Area as soon as possible. Speculations aside, the battles were over.

All but one.

_Klank!_

The Jousting Lance was thrust one, two, three times, planning to force the enemy into a position where it cannot defend. Then, the purple Gloucester took aim at the left side of the chest and thrust again: such a blow would shut down the enemy Knightmare without fail.

But the super-heated scimitar of the beige topaz-colored Knightmare swung even faster than before and parried the attack. The two fighters broke apart, silently studying each other amidst the burning military base. Suddenly the beige mecha, similar to the Gloucester but more slender and with a turban-like headdress helmet on the head, shifted his stance slightly before speaking.

"It appears," A proud male voice began in English. "that the order to retreat has finally come. Even if I would like nothing more that to finish this fight, I'm bound by honor to obey my superiors. Don't you think it is truly a pity, Second Princess Cornelia Li Britannia?"

"Do you really think I will let you escape, Field Marshal Tariq Ibn Ziyad?" Cornelia roared before changing again, determinate to take the head of his enemy. But before she can strike a sudden burst of fire from an undetermined direction force her to stop and dodge. The MEF Knightmare took the opportunity to escape, ignoring the angry screams of the Second Princess.

"Damn it!" Cornelia hit with both fist the console once she is sure she is alone. '_What 'I'm bound to honor'? You damn maggot have always someone hidden nearby to cover your escape when you're beginning to lose. You're nothing but a coward!_'

"Your Highness!" A pair of Gloucester approached. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She replied to Darlton and her personal knight Guilford. "Ziyad ran away. Again. It's a shame such a coward had me and my forces stalled for so long."

"I understand your concerns, My Lady." Guilford tried to soothe his commander's discomfort. "But I believe the most important thing is that now Area 13 is finally a reality."

"In regard to that," Darlton interjected. "about our next course of actions..."

"Forgive me for dragging you along to clean up my foolish younger brother's mess."

"No need, Your Highness. Our place is with you, wherever that may be. I was referring to...this 'Accelerator'. He is..."

"Just a comedian. A joke. A fraud." Cornelia interrupted. "A show full of mirrors and tricks, and the Acting Viceroy was a fool to fall to it. Don't tell me you believe he is really some sort of Superman?"

"I don't know what to believe, Your Highness. I have yet to see matters with my own eyes. Until then, like any other unknown, caution is in order."

"Point taken." Cornelia looked toward East, where Area 11 lie. _'Enjoy your remaining time Accelerator,' _She thought to herself. _'I'm coming for you.'_

* * *

Not too distant, inside an underground chamber concealed from the rest of the world, one of the twenty-six Immortals was contemplating the hollow spot where once rested a massive monolith, the door to one of Earth's Thought Elevators.

_'A shame we need to live this place behind. Luckily it was possible to make it unusable by the Britannians.' _"Nox. Lux." He called. From behind him a double pair of identical shinning red eyes appeared from the darkness. "Prepare your belongings. We are going to Area 11."

"To find this 'Accelerator' fellow, uh?" A enthusiastic male voice replied. "He sounds like an interesting guy, even if a bit of a Ham. Do you think we need to bring along our supplies of Kryptonite?"

"For Heaven's Sake, brother." A female voice sighed. "Try to be more serious when work is involved."

* * *

A week after the (in)famous debut of Accelerator and Kururugi's rescue Lelouch was sitting on his desk in the middle of the classroom. Taking advantage of the teacher's lateness the vigilante in incognito was reading the newspaper while the rest of the class was gossip about last week's events. Not interested at all in the rumor-mongering of his fellow students (sheltered kids indoctrinated by Britannian propaganda, all of them, with the exception of Kallen and possibly Rivalz), he nonetheless keep up a concerned expression for the sake of appearance. Although while he read the piece of paper he smirked internally. _'This is the best so far: the vile Accelerator had used advanced holographic projections to deceive the minds of the valiant Britannian soldiers and audience. They also claimed they have already found the devices and not only destroyed them, but also developed a countermeasure. This is just too funny. Maybe at the beginning it would have been plausible, but after thirteen different excuses only the most fanatical's will buy it.'_

All in all things were looking good: Ohgi's group still possessed seven of the Sutherlands stolen at Shinjuku, carefully hidden in an old warehouse, he could not ask for a better starting reputation and the morale of the current Area leadership had fallen to the very bottom. Gottwald was removed from his position as the acting Viceroy and demoted, while Clovis under his suggestion had asked for a replacement from the Mainland, declaring he will instead act as the Sub-Viceroy.

The only problem was the low number of people under his command: newbies can be trained, but physical presence can't be resolved so easily. They were not the only terrorist groups in Tokyo, hell, Japan was full of them. However in the end that was the problem: they were terrorists. Kallen and her friends were an exception, a diamond in the rough, but the rest he suspected were full of haters and cowards, while what he needed were soldiers, people capable of hearing orders and the skill to put them into action. People capable of managing a rebellion. Like the JLF, where Tohdoh was still alive and kicking ass. Lelouch had nothing in contrary to working with them, even give them the reins, they were after all the legitimate Japan's old army. But to reach them he needed results. And to obtain results he needed soldiers. The obvious approach was to start recruiting and selecting the ones with potential, hoping to find a decent amount of suitable ones.

"The kind of things they come up with, eh, Leouch?" His musings were interrupted when Rivalz spoke up. "I mean, isn't it badass and all, a masked vigilante that could single-handedly wipe out squads of Knightmares, alone?" The sheer joy on the blue-haired teen's face almost took the esper aback, but he quickly regained his composure.

"Yeah, badass. And scary as hell. The authorities can deny it all they wanted, but it's clear that Area 11 is in the center of a storm. They are all scared of becoming the next targets and hurry to leave the country. Just two days ago more or less twenty-three students have retired, cause: 'transferring of the family abroad' ."

"And you?" He learned close. "What is your opinion?"

"My opinion," He replied pushing the other teen away with a hand over his mouth, their faces too closer for his comfort. "is that, while I am not a fan of the Empire's ideology, one of the reasons I transferred to Australia in the first place," He kept his voice very, very low. "neither I approve of terrorism. Taken, Accelerator so far has only engage with the military, but even so the higher ups will use all of their power to crush any and all uprisings, especially the successful ones. It's not too much of a stretch of imagination to see this country in great turmoil in the future."

Rivalz swiftly turned serious. "...Yes, you're right. Do you think the school would be involved? I mean, if there is a big fight..."

"It's possible, even if I hope not. As civilians the least we can do is stay out of the way. And as the Student Council it is our duty to ensure the safety of the students. It may be best to start discussing possible emergency and evacuation plans in the meetings from now on." _'So not to have you all on my conscience when I will retake Japan. I have no intentions to involve innocents in my quest for...for what? Justice? Please, I'm not worthy of such a word. Revenge? More fitting. But it would be a meaningless revenge if in the process I sacrifice the innocent. Doing so would make me the same as my father. More difficult? Yes. But then again..._

_Just because something is difficult, it doesn't mean it's not worth doing it.'_

* * *

Inside the Government courthouse Suzaku calmly walked toward the main door. He was dressed in normal civilian clothes, with extra-large sunglasses obstructing his now notorious face. A few bandages covered his wounds from his jailers' abuses. On his back a bag had his few possessions.

He had been found innocent, all thanks to Accelerator taking the blame. At the memory of the black-clad vigilante Suzaku shivered, one hand instinctively reaching for his throat, five bruises in the shape of fingers still visible. But more strong than the pain of the flesh was the pain of the soul.

_'Drown in your ideals, Kururugi Suzaku, and die!'_

He scared him. Even more of the memory of when he murdered his father. There was something in the man that scared him to no end. It wasn't his powers, nor his attempt of killing him (he still has no idea why he didn't do it). It was the rage: the pure, unadulterated rage that flowed from him when he rejected his ideals. Like his words had struck a cord inside the terrorist that must never be touched.

You could say he is afraid of knowing why the dream of a gentler world can cause such a reaction in a person.

But before he can step outside someone grabbed him on both shoulders, dragged him inside a nearby room and closed the door without even giving him the time to reacting.

"Who..?" He whirled around, ready to defend himself. Any further words died in his throat.

Lloyd. Lloyd with a smile so wide it could put the Joker to shame. Lloyd with eyes even more sparkly than the ones of Dumbledore, like someone had skinned Edward Cullen and used it to make corneas. Lloyd with Cécile behind him, who was holding a recorder and a palmtop and was repeatedly bowing while uttering 'I apologize' over and over again with a quite frightened face.

"So...you talked with him?" The foppish researcher asked with a voice dripping _hunger _of all things.

"Who...?" Suzaku repeated, unable to form a more complex sentence.

"Accelerator."

"Uh...yes."

"Tell me." He all but ordered, now deadly serious.

"Tell you what?"

"How he manages to do what he does. How he reflected back projectiles. How he destroyed things with naught but a touch. How he survived inside flames hotter than lava. He had to have said something. He has to have. Tell. Me. Everything. He. Said. And. Did!"

At the end of his rambling he was shaking Suzaku so strongly the poor Japanese boy was on the verge of retching.

* * *

Later that afternoon, looking into the more mundane zones of the Tokyo Settlement, a careful observer can find a very interesting sight. To be more specific, a girl.

Long, blonde hair tied into a ponytail, while at the front two long braids tied with two identical red ribbons coiled around them like a spiral under an azure fedora with a white band. She wore a simple pair of white pants, a matching shirt with the logo of a famous chain of pizza shop and over it a short sleeve blue jacket. To complete the look a pair of Chelsea boots and large sunglasses concealing her bright blue eyes.

She is none other than Monica Kruszewski, the incognito Knight of Twelve of the Knights of the Round. Despite the claims of sending her along with Cornelia she was already there on Area 11 since the past two weeks as part of her personal vacation. The Knight of One Bismarck Waldstein covered for her to let her enjoy the break, with today being the last day.

Monica sighed. The masquerade was required to hold off fans and journalists, something imperative to every Round who wished to enjoy some time alone in public, but that doesn't make it suck less. _'I wish I don't have to dress like this. Why can't I wear a dress? A cute, yellow dress? But nooo, if I wear something even remotely similar to the uniform or any other social clothing I run the risk of being recognized! And what was that 'you look so good in man's clothes'? Damn Jacqueline, what did they teach at the maid school? If I found it's just your twisted sense of fashion...' _Her hand twitched, the burning desire to punch the living daylights out of the nearest person on sight being promptly suppressed without a single facial muscle changing. Now, most people think of Monica Kruszewski as a quiet and demure girl who doesn't like to socialize much, is extremely professional and while not as talented in Knightmare riding like the rest of the Rounds makes up for it with quick thinking and strategy. Her most close comrades know better.

_'At least I have enjoyed a nice vacation. Area 11 is a beautiful place and the local culture is so different from the Mainland. That thing I read yesterday, that by praying to a shrine the local god would grant your desires. Curses in particular are the most likely to succeed. So, if I were to wish for a very slow, gruesome and painful death to the bigot...Fufufufu!' _For just a moment her face twisted into a deranged grin backed by a bloodthirsty aura which sent goosebumps along the spines of the nearby people before disappearing again under the mask.

The bigot in question was Luciano Bradley, Knight of ten and Vampire of Britannia. Like the namesake suggested he was a very violent fellow who enjoyed slaughter and killing foes and friends alike and wasn't afraid to admit it. Only his battle prowess and loyalty to the empire saved him from being punished. So no one liked him, especially the blonde, to the point you could say they have a real feud. It was some time after Monica's promotion as a Round: the jerk tried to take advantage of the confusion and grabbed Monica's behind.

They barely stopped her at the last second from cutting open his jugular with a paper knife. After that and another string of similar episodes (mostly broken arms and fractured ribs) they all begin to keep their distance. She and Luciano still tried to kill each other though.

_'Even if the cursing doesn't work I still got to be far away from the bastard for two weeks. More if this work takes long. And I am fairly sure it will be. A single man capable of stopping Knightmare Frames alone is a completely new type of case. Imperative is to understand how he does it and which weaknesses he possesses. Lady Cornelia is strong but too straightforward; she will likely try to use direct methods, treating him like an ordinary foe. Too dangerous. First of all I need to interrogate the soldiers present and read the report on the broken Knightmares. Then...'_

"Out of the way, please. Look out below!" Came a voice from above. Looking up in surprise she saw a pink haired girl falling from above. Reflexes ingrained by training kicked in and she held out her arms, catching her. A bit of a strain, but nothing much. She looked up. From a window, very high on what she realize was the Government building, there was a rope made from what looked like bedsheets tied together. But it was too short, the fall would have killed or at least broke something. Did she just save a suicide? Then she looked at the girl and her eyes widened.

_'Princess...Euphemia?'_

"I'm so sorry! I didn't realize there was somebody down here when I jumped!" The klutzy princess exclaimed getting up. She didn't appear to recognize the Knight, with the shock wearing off Monica allowed herself a little smile, just a little tug up of her lips.

_'Yes, same, old Euphie.' _"...No problem. But why did you jump?"

"Oh, yes! The truth is, bad guys are chasing me!" Monica's eyebrow raised. What an obvious lie: the last time someone had tried an assault on a member of the royal family all the criminals, fifteen grunts and two infiltrators, were gunned down before they could come near even seventy meters. No one takes risks anymore after Empress Marianne. She shook her head. "I find that hard to believe. After all..." Before the baffled look on Euphemia she reached and pulled of the sunglasses and the hat. "There is no way Her Highness Cornelia would allow her sister to be in any kind of danger."

The pink haired girl's eyes widened. "Monica!" She shouted joyfully, hugging the other girl. "I missed you so much! Ooh, I'm so glad to see you again. When was the last time I saw you? Ah yes, your promotion to a Knight of the Round. About that, congratulations! But they didn't even allow me to speak to you. Phooey! How have you been? And..." Truly, her mouth was a machine gun capable of firing words faster that the speed of the sound.

Monica stiffened, embarrassed. "Ah...Your Highness, please...it's not proper for you to address me so informally... "

"Nonsense! We are or we are not childhood friends? Did we not play together with Lulu and Nunna at Aries Villa? Didn't...oh! Sorry, Monica, I..." Euphemia quickly apologized noting the darkening of the other girl's mood at the mention of the late siblings. More specifically, Lelouch.

"No, I'm fine. Please, don't anguish yourself." The Knight of Twelve reassured her friend, her mind wandering briefly to the memories of the boy to whom she owed everything. "Your...Euphie, what are you doing here alone? Don't tell me you have escaped your guards?"

"I have no choice." She pouted. The sight was...rather cute. "Today's my last day of freedom before I become Brother Clovis's assistant and I want to see more than another museum full of propaganda and a rich noble house. Uhm...Got it!" She clapped her hands. "Why don't you escort me? If I have a Round with me nobody will complain, right?"

_'Nobody except Cornelia. If she found out Round or not she will strangle me. And then shoot me. Maybe the contrary if for some miracle she is in a good mood.'_ Monica grimaced. Still, how can you say no to Euphie when she gives you the puppy dog eyes? Besides, if someone asked she can always say she could not disobey a direct order from a Royal Family member. "Yes, I'd love to."

* * *

Meanwhile, C.C. had been questioning Lelouch about his goals. They were seated in the sitting room, the former eating pizza and the latter doing homework.

"Do you really believe you can change the world alone? Even if you're semi-invulnerable your opponent may simply be too large and strong for you."

The boy raised his head. "A pertinent question." He then looked out the window. "Back when I was ten, the world seemed to be such a terribly sad place, without hope.

Starvation. Disease. Racism. Constant war and terrorism. Strong preying upon the weak. Many innocents dragged by the wickedness of few. The people are living a never ending cycle of hate. This cannot be allowed anymore, the cycle has to be broken. Somebody has to do it."

The witch quirked an eyebrow. "And you are that somebody?"

He smirked. "I never said I'm going to do it alone. This is what the symbol know as 'Accelerator' is for. My fight isn't against a nation, but an ideology and the instruments which had brought it. If I want to break it I have first to free the people from its shackles, show them that an alternative is possible. All across the planet is full of heroes capable of doing it, they need just an opportunity. And I am that opportunity."

"...You have such faith in humanity. Why?"

"I have seen the worst humanity has to offer. But I have also seen the best. For all the sinners there is always a saint. Against all the villains a hero will always rise. Humans are fickle creatures with infinite potential, and I believe in it because I saw it happening." Suddenly he seemed pondering something. "Hey, when all things are done do you want to come to Academy City with me?"

She blinked. "Why?"

He shrugged. "Because it is, simply put, a better place. No Code, no Geass, no superpowers bent on world-domination. Sure it has its own can of worms but the principles of the French revolution are more spread. Just thinking maybe you want to begin anew in a place where no one is hunting you."

"..." She took another bite of pizza. "I will think about it."

* * *

**Aaaand, stop. Sorry about this: the chapter was originally longer but I decided to split it into two pieces. The reason? I'm going on a week-long vacation and I want to leave you something to read in the meanwhile. Enjoy ;)**


	13. Chapter 11: Aftermaths 2

**Hello again to you all. Time flies and never waits. So onward without delays!**

**animekingmike & MisterSP: For his perspective, compared to Britannia militarism, it is. It's more a subtle manipulation via technological and economic progress, which in his book is much better. He still doesn't know the full details: he dimension-jumped first.**

**CashyHoray1.00: Yes, C.C. and Marianne communicate between each other via mind connection. Too much hacking and it will get suspicious. Remember, he is creating false money accounts, not transferring it.**

**MM Browsing: I discussed Lelouch harem in the previous chapters. So to remember you all:**

**C.C., Shirley, Milly, Kallen, Kaguya, Euphemia and Monica Kruszewski**

**Note that harem for me is simple a group of girls who shared affection for the same guy. I'm not going to abuse it. To be clear I'm going for the "Unwanted Harem" trope. This is part comedy after all.**

**For Akito...I will think about it after watching it.**

**n0mster: unfortunately Lelouch is not into older women.**

**ChaosRune: he can be overpowered in a fight, yes. This is why the setting is one where you can't simply curbstomp your enemies, but you have to use your brains.**

**Jarjaxle: yes, the intention is to make them more aware of secrets to earn their trust. Lelouch is not his canon paranoiac self and he doesn't want to merely free Japan and destroy Britannia, but to fight the various Geass-users and the organizations behind them. He will even let some know his face (but not his identity as an Imperial Prince).**

**AFTERMATHS 2**

* * *

Euphemia and Monica wandered around the city for almost two hours, having fun like there was no tomorrow. The Round showed the young Princess the mall where they brought, true to the female tradition of shopping, lot and lot of different outfits and accessories, chatting and giggling about how their maids (in Euphemia's case her older sister) don't allow them to wear what they want. Suffice to say most of those clothes would be considered improper by popular consensus: most of all the swimsuits, models designates by Clovis after all. Not that they cared about it.

Next was trying the old Japanese food sold by stands on the street.

"Wah! How do you eat this, with the chopsticks? Ugh, they are so difficult to use..."

"With the sushi yes, but you can use your hands with the onigiri. Here, let's me show you. This paste here is called wasabi, remember to always use a minuscule amount for bite because it's super spicy..."

Monica proved herself to be knowledgeable about Japanese culture, she explained it was one of her hobbies to research the history and cultural inheritance of the places she visited, a 'side effect of my jobs' she joked.

Euphemia nodded. Monica was one of the few Britannians she knew who wasn't in some way racist or stuck up. She was a gentle and kind girl, all those rumours about her trying to murder Luciano Bradley were without a doubt false, even if the man was unpleasant there is no way the smiling girl before her would be capable of such an act.

And it was all thank to Lelouch: she didn't know exactly how the two meet but one day the boy introduced the, at the time, shy girl to her and Nunnally while playing. After only few hours they all became great friends. Monica held Lelouch in great consideration and always tried to emulate him in every way. Sure Lelouch was a great mentor for the girl to have become such a great person.

After all the excitement they decided to rest in a small park, where the pink haired princess tried to set up a conversation with a black cat, much to Monica's amusement.

"Meow meow," the Britannian meowed cutely, as if she could speak the language of cats. "Aww, does the kitty's paw hurt? Oh, meow meow meow!"

To which the kitten replied "Meow? Meow!" It was as he was trying to say 'Who is this oddball?'

Monica tried to hold back laughing at the cute scene. '_So Euphie. So so much Euphie.' _Laying down the bags she reached out and pet it on the head, smiling when it purred. "You always loved animals, right Euphie? Do you want to take him home?"

"Uhm..." The princess hesitated. "I'd love to, only I don't know if big sister will let me keep him."

"Euphie, you're a princess: having a domestic animal shouldn't be so much of an issue for a person in your position. Not when you see some Counts carrying around cougars with a leash." She sighed. "Is Her Highness so...?" She didn't finish. Doing so would be highly improper.

"So Bossy? Yes!" Of course the pink haired girl didn't care. "I can't do anything without some form of supervising. Even if I'm Royalty I have no real political power." She continued, sulking. "It's like living in a golden cage. I'm so tired of it: for once I want to do something useful with a decision which is only my own." Suddenly a sly smile formed on her lips and she turned toward Monica, the cat now in her arms purring contentedly. "Monica. I have another favour to ask of you."

"Yes?"

"Please escort me to the Shinjuku Ghetto." She said with utter seriousness.

Monica's eyes widened and her face lost all colours. "M-My Lady?! No! Absolutely no! It's too dangerous and..."

"Monica." Euphemia interrupted her. "This isn't an order. But please, just this once accept this selfish request of mine." Her voice didn't betray anything, but her eyes were pleading.

Duty and friendship battled inside her for a short time before she dropped her head in resignation. "Alright, but you have to listen to me and be careful. Clear?"

"Clear!" The young girl's face _beamed _with happiness.

[*]

The life of Margrave Jeremiah Gottwald was over, he just knew it. He had the most important chance to secure power for the Purist Faction before the arrival of the next Viceroy and he screwed up. Inside the cockpit of his Sutherland while doing a degrading, for one of his rank, patrol around the Settlement, his thoughts went back to _that _night. He made preparations for almost all the possible occurrences with the chance of upsetting the pageant. Used the most secure of security arrangements.

And then a monster appeared and tore apart everything with contemptuous ease. A seeming single unarmed terrorist claimed responsibility for the attack to the Viceroy, defeated them all and rescued the prisoner.

_**"C'mon, you know it will not work. What's the point?"**_

He didn't say the whole truth. He didn't say that till the end he refused to believe the reality before him. He needed to believe that shooting him would kill him _like it is supposed to be in a normal and logical world_.

Instead he failed: the failure to stop Accelerator and the truth of how they condemned an innocent cast the Purists's reputation into dirt. He barely kept his title while the rest of the Faction lost all its power. Kewell and Villetta fared better: as simple subordinates they didn't receive much attention. But like him their life was in tatters: nobody would trust them anymore. Britannia didn't condone failure, not matter how unreasonable it is.

Jeremiah knew failure very well: it all began that night, that damned night when he failed to protect his true liege. A year later he also failed her children. And now...

An incoming transmission pulled him out of his grim musings. "Lord Jeremiah, Accelerator has been sighted in Shinjuku inside the old stadium in sector two. Lord Wellington is already there and is requesting backup."

_'Shinjuku? What he is doing there? Gloating about how we can do nothing about him? It doesn't matter, I will not let you get away, Accelerator!' _"Roger that. I'm on my way." Features set into dire determination he pushed his Sutherland at maximum speed, destination: Shinjuku and revenge.

[*]

The Shinjuku ghetto resembled almost a post-apocalyptic city. Nothing but dull grey buildings, devoid of any decorations or flora, with no even one person outside. Instead small make-shift shrines and pictures of the deceased put on the walls dominated the landscape. The two girls advanced carefully among the rubble, the blonde one surveying the area with the cold and analytical eye of a soldier, a mix of disapproval and worry swelling inside her, while the pink haired one wore a distressed face.

"Such desolation..." Murmured Euphemia. "Monica, it is true what they said? That it was terrorists using a stolen chemical weapon?"

"Do you want the truth Euphie?" She stopped and picked up a piece of concrete littered with bullet's holes. "From what I know not only there are no signs of any of the confirmed permissions necessary to work on such a thing, but all the area's damage screamed about an armed conflict. There were terrorists, but they only begun to fight back after hijacking a train full of Sutherlands. The recordings of the battle are clear, but the whole situation which started it is not. Without talking about the most obvious blunder." She turned her head to stare at her. "It was reported that the only thin stolen was a rather large canister of gas. The basics of the use of gas are to equip soldiers with little gas-grenades and gas masks and use them systematically, and inside buildings. Because outside the gas dispersed rapidly. The amount they stolen was not a threat so great to warrant a mobilization of such a large force." She lowered her eyes. "It pains for me to say it, but Her Highness Clovis is hiding something. The subject will almost surely never brought up, but..."

"It's okay." The young princess put her hands on her shoulders in a sign of comfort. "I am a Royal, I know about intrigues and doubt, but I trust my brother to have a very good reason for his actions. That is why I will...!"

"Man, I figured they wouldn't use RPG's on the Elevens." "Hey look! Marks from a Hummer round! Get a shot of that!"

A duo of very excited voices interrupted their conversation. Turning around they saw two Britannian students taking pictures and commenting about the previous battle like they were on the set of a film. This disgusting behaviour made both their stomach curl. As if on cue three Eleven men guided by a redhead with a headband surrounded the two schoolboys and destroyed the camera they were using, yelling to get the hell out of there.

"H-how dare a...a mere Eleven-" One of them tried to shout back, but it was the wrong thing to said because now the men seemed ready to beat them.

Euphemia was fidgeting. "Monica, what should we..." She tried to say, but the blonde soldier was already moving.

The two groups stopped seeing the blonde girl approaching. One of the students seeing a fellow Britannians decided to search help.

"Thank goodness someone's here! You have to call the police: those lowly Ele..."

_SLAP! SLAP!_

Fast as lightning Monica slapped the two so hard they fell to the ground, leaving all present stunned. Monica stared at them with a vicious and angry glare, her face a mask of cold fury so strong the two students nearly wet themselves.

"You are disgusting." She spoke slowly, each word accented as to no leave any possible misunderstanding about their real meaning. "Without respect for the dead and the sorrow of the living you come here and behave like spoiled children, desecrating what is both a cemetery and a battlefield with your inexcusable conduct. _Don't_." She hissed, seeing as one of them was opening his mouth to speak, shutting him. "I don't want to hear your pathetic excuses. You are trash: nothing more, nothing else. Not even worthy of being called human beings. Now get lost."

"We..."

"_GET LOST!_" Finally taking the hint the two students sprang to their feet and run away. Satisfied Monica turned to the trio of flabbergasted Japanese and slightly bowed. "Sorry for the interference, but I wanted to punish them myself. I will take my leave now. Farewell." That said she walked back to and equally flabbergasted Euphemia and, taking her hand, began to drag her away.

"Wow Monica, I didn't know you have such a fire inside you." Marvelled Euphie, eyes shinning with admiration.

"Nothing of the sort...I just, as a soldier I simply feel the need to pay the utmost respect to the places where living, breathing people fought and died. Seeing them treating it like a comics convention...something just snapped. I'm sorry." She trailed off, embarrassed.

"Not at all." Euphemia grabbed her arm and smiled. "I wanted to do the same thing."

They both smiled, before the sound of gunshots and explosions filled the air.

[*]

"Did you see that?"

"Yeah. Chick was scary. The glasses one seemed on the verge of pissing himself."

"At least I'm sure they will not pull off a similar stunt ever again. What do you think Tamaki?"

"Me? I think the blonde one was a soldier or a trained bodyguard. Remember me of Kallen on her worst days..."

"No shit. But I relieved to know not all the Brits are insensitive assholes. The pink one looked more a civilian. Maybe one of them or both have a relative who died here during the battle and they come to pay they respect."

"Yeah, we are not the only ones..."

_BOOM!_

"Holy shit! Did you hear that?"

"An explosion. And...Knightmare fighting? We have in program an operation here?"

"Hell no. Accelerator made it clear: keep a low profile for the time being. And I know there are not other cells hidden here."

"Suspicious. Best to go and have a look. Tamaki go back to the base and inform Ohgi. Me and Miyahara will go and later report what we saw."

"The hell?! Why should I be the one to run away?"

"Do you want to be near Knightmares shooting wildly without protections?"

"...Good point. Don't do anything reckless."

"Yeah."

[*]

Jeremiah entered the destroyed stadium, his Fractsphere opening and quickly scanning the nearby area: aside from what the heat scanner told him the only one present where a group of four Sutherlands awaiting him, the markings on their shoulders identifying them as Lord Wellington's squad. His eyes narrowed at the sight of the massive anti-armor lances they wielded, an equipment which was by no means standard outside confrontation against enemy's Knightmares. Before he can mused more over it a fifth Knightmare appeared, the cloak and the additional insignia marking him as Major Wellington's unit. He opened communications and asked. "Lord Wellington, where is Accelerator?" The four Sutherlands immediately moved to surround him, their lances accurately aimed at his cockpit.

"I don't know, but from now you don't need to worry about it anymore. After all," He too fall into a standard stance. "you die today, Gottwald."

"What is the meaning of this?!" He shouted, anger welling at the thought of being played for a fool.

"Nothing personal Gottwald, just cutting loose ends. We Purists need to remove your failure before Her Highness Cornelia arrives or we won't have any future." Wellington replied coldly. "Don't worry, I will give you a warrior's death!"

They all changed toward him, a maneuver designated to trap and skewer a target from all sides. But Jeremiah was not a rookie: already predicting it from the start he launched himself to the enemy at his right and, bringing out the tonfa he deflected the spear. Without giving him the time to react he caught the Sutherlands by the shoulder, whirled around and used him as a shield. Some stopped in time but one lance pierced the front and killed the pilot. Without missing a beat Jeremiah drew his Assault Rifle and opened fire forcing the attackers to scatter around.

"As I thought, this will not be easy." Wellington growled before they all begin to circle around him. Jeremiah launched the inert Sutherland to his side to intercept a burst of fire and immediately shooting back, but a Slash Harken knocked the rifle out of his hand. Another come from a different direction but the Margrave dodged it and returned fire with one of his own, but it was deflected by one of his companion's lance.

_"Damn! They planned this too well.' _Jeremiah thought. He was a pilot of remarkable skills and normally facing four opponent at once would be hard but not impossible. Sadly The enemy knew him very well and pushed him into a corner from the very beginning. What an irony: the same teamwork he always encouraged will now be his downfall.

He parried a lance with his tonfa, creating an opening another Sutherland was quickly to exploit. The lance was ready to pin the Margrave to the ground when...

""LORD JEREMIAH!"" Two voices screamed at once before a burst of heavy AP rounds blew away the backstabber and broke the formation. Coming front the entrance were two other Sutherlands, ones Gottwald recognized very well.

"Villetta! Kewell! Glad to see you!"

"Sorry for not coming early." Kewell replied. "We were lucky to overheard a operator commenting about the trap. We came here as quickly as possible. You alright?"

"Still in one piece." This was good: with the help of his friends he can now face Wellington on equal footing. Unlike him who used the standard equipment and switched in battle to whatever was more convenient his two subordinates specialized in one specific field: Nu focused in high-speed combat, using blades similar to rapiers to dancing around the enemy and attacking weak points, while Soresi had a passion for heavy artillery, favouring cannons and sniper rifles. Wordlessly falling into formation with the other two he turn to the Major. "The table has turned. Surrender and I promise you a fair trial."

"...He. Hehehe." He heard snorting from the communication channel. "They told me to be wary of interlopers. I'm grateful I decided to listen to this advice. Knight of Honour Kewell Soresi! Knight of Honour Villetta Nu! Just step aside and I will forget about you defending this failure."

"The only failure here is you!" Villetta shouted. "We're all on the same side and yet you decided to take the law in your hands. You're nothing but a coward!"

"I agree. This is clearly insubordination and attempted murder. You will not get away." Kewell added his own piece.

"So be it." The major replied coldly. He raised his arm and the next moment four Glasgows rose from the upper level of the stadium, each one armed with missile launchers.

"You should fall honoured, Gottwald!" Wellington crackled. "I have to promise a lot of favours to assemble this impressive force, all for you! It can't be helped, failures couldn't be allowed to exist, no matter the cost."

Jeremiah gritted his teeth. "This isn't over yet!"

"No, it is." The major raised his arm again. "Men..."

It was at that pint that the Lancelot burst into the scene and disabled one of the Glasgows.

[*]

Hidden in a corner, Monica and Euphemia observed the fight.

"Monica, what's happening?" Asked the pale princess. "Those are Britannian soldiers, right? Why are they fighting each other?"

"Those are Knightmares from the Purist faction. It's probably an internal struggle." The blonde bit her lips. _'As I thought: they're loose cannon. I will inform Her Highness Cornelia when she come, but in the meantime...' _She put out from one pocket her cell phone and dialed a number.

"Greeting My Lady. How can I help you?" A deep male voice replied. He was one of Monica's subordinate already transferred in Arena 11.

"Redfield. Time is of the essence: a group of soldiers are with Knightmares are fighting each other inside the Shinjuku Ghetto, old stadium of sector Two. Send reinforcements. If there are protests tell them I am here with Her Highness Euphemia Li Britannia."

"I-Immediately My Lady!" He stuttered, clearly shaking and hung up. Good soldier, Monica mused, maybe a little too nervous at times.

She turned to the battlefield just in time to see a white Knightmare entering the struggle.

[*]

"Stop fighting!" Jeremiah heard the pilot of the Lancelot, the Kururugi Suzaku he convicted, yelling. How ironic it was for him to be the one to save him an his friends. Still Gottwald was grateful for the intervention. _'Are those...Maser Vibration Swords? So Earl Asplund completed it.'_

"Villetta! Kewell! Change!" He commanded and together they attacked the Major and his goons: two of them tried to intercept, but one was gunned down by Kewell with a precise round to the head while the other fell after Jeremiah parried his lance and Villetta pierced both of the legs joints.

With their numbers dramatically reduced Wellington's squad fell back, just in time for the Lancelot to jump down and surrounding them.

"Surrender Wellington." Jeremiah ordered with finality. "Your luck is at an end."

Via the video link he could see the Major seething with anger, a mad glint in is eyes. '_What in Hades is he...'_

"ALL HAIL BRITANNIA!" Wellington bellowed before drawing a Chaos Mine and launching it into the air. It was a special weapon which burst in mid-air and send several hundreds of super-heated metal shards raining on the target area. It was a terrifying weapon of mass slaughtering.

Just as the Mine flew into the air, a girl ran into their arena while another tried to stop her. Jeremiah's eyes widened when he recognized them. He didn't think about how he wouldn't survive; he didn't ask what were doing here the Third Princess and the Knight of Twelve. He just did.

Both he and Kururugi moved at the same time while Villetta and Kewell pull back to avoid the carnage. The Lancelot crossed his arms and activated the Blaze Luminous shields on both forearms and knees and Jeremiah's Sutherland kneel and cover the two girls, the arms embracing the space around them to offer more protection as possible. For Jeremiah Gottwald the lives of Royalty always come first, even if he has to sacrifice his own life.

Such is this man's loyalty.

But fortunately for the soldier the shields of the Lancelot withstood the rain of pellets with little effort. When the last of them was ejected Euphemia used the opportunity to make herself know.

Raising her voice she declared. "All soldiers, cease fire at once! I, Euphemia Li Britannia, third princess of the Empire, demand it!"

In the face of Imperial authority even Wellington's fanaticism took a step back. Five minutes after with the arrival of the reinforcements called by Monica the Major and his goons were arrested while Suzaku, Jeremiah, Villetta and Kewell were kneeling before Euphemia and Monica, now with a jacket with her proper ranks.

"Your Highness, I apologize for putting you into danger." Jeremiah spoke bowing. "They were aiming to kill me for my failure to apprehend Accelerator. Because of my actions you were almost killed. I am ready to accept any punishment you deem fitting."

"Nonsense Sir Gottwald. Lord Wellington committed a severe breach of protocol and thus all the blame lies to him." Euphy replied with a soothing voice. "Instead I want to thank all of you for protecting me and Lady Kruszewski. May I ask your names?"

"Kururugi Suzaku. Warrant officer employed by the A.S.E.E.C. special force."

"Villetta Nu. Knight of Honour."

"Kewell Soresi. Knight of Honour."

"Then again I thank all of you for your excellent efforts. You are all proud Britannian soldiers, never forget that." She smiled. _'Did I said that right? I tried to imitate big sister, I hope it was good enough.' _"I also think you deserve a reward: is there anything you want?"

Suzaku, Kewell and Villetta politely refused, but Jeremiah raised his head, a grim expression on his face. "My Lady, if it's alright with you I would like to be transferred away from Area 11."

"Lord Jeremiah!" "Jeremiah..." Both his friends were shocked, but he continued. "Wellington said he has accomplices and I doubt he will betray them. I fear as long as I am here another similar attempt may occurs. Next they may also tried to harm my subordinates and I do no wish to put them in danger."

"Then how would you like to work for me?" A new voice cut into the conversation.

They all turned and come face to face with Lloyd Asplund, an amused grin on his face and a bowl of pudding in his hands. Many eyebrows twitched while only one look confused.

"For you my Lord?"

"Yes. I read your files and you're an excellent pilot. And I just need a pilot for a prototype of mine. My project is sponsored directly by His Highness Schneizel: I think this is deterrent enough."

"Big brother did?" Asked Euphemia. Lloyd nodded.

Jeremiah seemed to contemplate this development for a few seconds before nodding.

"Very well. I accept."

[*]

Meanwhile, on the roof of a nearby building two men watched the events with a pair of binoculars.

"Kururugi is a Knightmare pilot? Never know they allowed Honorary Britannians."

"This is big. Let's go back to the base."

[*]

Evening. Inside the Lamperouge house a cell phone ringed. A slander hand reached for it and took the call.

"Accelerator here."

"I'm Ohgi. This afternoon some of my men witnessed by chance a fight between the Britannians. Gottwald was attacked but survived."

"Uhmph. The rest of the Purists probably tried to purge their ranks. They're doomed. Anything else?"

"Only one thing certain. They saw the face of the pilot of the White Knightmare we encountered in Shinjuku. They said it was Kururugi Suzaku."

The other speaker froze. After a few moments he spoke again, his voice as cold as the Antarctic. "Are they sure?"

"Yes. There were other important individuals involved but we don't know their identities. If you give me a little time I can..."

"Do it." The cold voice interrupted. Without waiting for a reply he closed the call.

One deep breath. Another deep breath.

The cell phone exploded.

"Very well Suzaku." Lelouch gritted his teeth. "You think yourself a hero? You think a fancy tool with a few gadgets will help you change this corrupt world with no bloodshed?

Then I will show you how _frightening _a true _Villain _can be!"

In the shadows of the close sunset a pair of violet eyes shined with a malevolent light.

* * *

**Aaand...here. I sorry if the end is a little rushed, but I wanted to post this chapter in time for Next Year. **

**Happy Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you!**


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